end
To finish or stop, or to make something finish or stop
Their marriage ended in 1991.
Oxford Essential Dictionary
end
verb (ends, ending, ended)
to stop or to finish something:
What time does the film end?
The road ends here.
Most adverbs in English end in '-ly'.
We ended our holiday with a few days on the beach.
end up to finally be in a place or doing something when you did not plan it:
If she continues to steal, she'll end up in prison.
I ended up doing all the work myself
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
II. end2 S1 W1 BrE AmE verb
[Word Family: noun: ↑end, ↑ending; adjective: ↑unending, ↑endless; verb: ↑end; adverb: ↑endlessly]
1.
a) [intransitive] if an event, activity, or story ends, it stops happening OPP start, begin:
World War II ended in 1945.
end with
The festival will end with a spectacular laser show.
b) [transitive] to make something stop happening OPP start, begin:
The talks are aimed at ending the conflict.
2. [intransitive] to finish what you are doing OPP start, begin:
I think we'll end there for today.
end by doing something
I’d like to end by inviting questions from the audience.
3. [intransitive] if a road, path, line etc ends, it reaches its final point OPP start, begin:
This is where the line ends.
4. [transitive] to reach the final point in a period of time in a particular condition OPP start, begin:
They ended the game with a score of 63-42.
The company ended the year with record profits.
5. end your days to spend the last part of your life in a particular place or doing a particular thing:
He ended his days in prison.
6. end your life/end it all to kill yourself
7. the ... to end all ... used to describe something that is the best, most important, or most exciting of its kind:
the movie with the car chase to end all car chases
8. the year/week etc ending something used to refer to the year etc that ends on a particular date:
the financial results for the year ending 31 Dec 2008
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ end if a event, activity, or story ends, it stops happening: How does the story end? | The school year ends in June.
▪ finish to end - use this about an organized event such as a meeting, party, or lesson, especially when saying what time it ends: The meeting will finish at 5.30. | What time does your Spanish class finish?
▪ be over if an event, activity, or period of time is over, it has ended: I can’t wait for our exams to be over. | The long summer vacation was almost over.
▪ come to an end to finally end – used about a period of time, a situation, or an activity that has continued for a long time: The war finally came to an end six years later.
▪ draw to an end/to a close written to end gradually over a period of time – used in written descriptions: These problems still remained as the twentieth century drew to an end.
▪ time is up if time is up, you are not allowed any more time to do something: I wasn’t able to finish the test before the time was up.
▪ time runs out if time runs out, there is no more time available to do something, especially something important: The desperate search for survivors continues, but time is running out.
▪ expire formal if a ticket, bank card, legal document etc expires, the period of time during which you can use it has ended: I’m afraid we can’t accept this credit card – it expired last week.
▪ be at an end if something is at an end, it has ended: We both knew that our marriage was at an end. | The long wait was at an end.
end in something phrasal verb
1. to finish in a particular way:
One in three marriages ends in divorce.
2. it’ll (all) end in tears British English spoken used to say that something will have a bad result or not be successful
end up phrasal verb
to be in a particular situation, state, or place after a series of events, especially when you did not plan it:
He came round for a coffee and we ended up having a meal together.
I wondered where the pictures would end up after the auction.
end up doing something
Most slimmers end up putting weight back on.
end up with
Anyone who swims in the river could end up with a nasty stomach upset.
end up as
He could end up as President.
end up like
I don’t want to end up like my parents.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
verb intransitive, transitive
to finish; to make sth finish
• The road ends here.
• How does the story end?
• The speaker ended by suggesting some topics for discussion.
• ~ with sth Her note ended with the words: ‘See you soon.’
• ~ sth They decided to end their relationship.
• ~ sth with sth They ended the play with a song.
• + speech ‘And that was that,’ she ended.
Word Origin:
Old English ende (noun), endian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch einde (noun), einden (verb) and German Ende (noun), enden (verb).
Thesaurus:
end verb I, T
• How does the story end?
finish • • stop • • close • • wind (sth) up • |BrE round sth off • |AmE round sth out • |formal conclude • • terminate •
Opp: begin
end/finish/conclude/round sth off/round sth out by/with sth
end/finish/conclude/close/wind up a meeting
a play/show/film ends/finishes/concludes
a story/letter/note ends/concludes
End, finish, stop or conclude? End, finish and conclude are used especially about things that you do not expect to start again
• The war ended in 1945.
• The concert should finish by 10 o'clock.
• She concluded her speech with a quotation from Shakespeare.
Stop is used about things that may or will start again
• The rain stopped for a couple of hours.
Example Bank:
• A back injury effectively ended her career.
• After all that excitement the day was bound to end in tears.
• At last the war ended.
• His speech ended on a positive note.
• The attempt finally ended in failure.
• The meeting ended abruptly when the chairman was called away.
• The military action could end in disaster.
• The peace talks have ended inconclusively, with neither side prepared to give way on key points.
• The show ended with a song.
• We thought they'd never end.
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
end / end / verb [ I or T ]
A2 to finish or stop, or to make something finish or stop:
When is your meeting due to end?
Her resignation ends months of speculation about her future.
Their marriage ended in 1991.
The match ended in a draw.
I'd like to end with a song from my first album.
She ended her speech on an optimistic note.
© Cambridge University Press 2013
Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
end
/end/
(ends, ending, ended)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
The end of something such as a period of time, an event, a book, or a film is the last part of it or the final point in it.
The £5 banknote was first issued at the end of the 18th century...
The report is expected by the end of the year...
You will have the chance to ask questions at the end.
N-SING: the N, usu prep N, N of n
2.
When a situation, process, or activity ends, or when something or someone ends it, it reaches its final point and stops.
The meeting quickly ended and Steve and I left the room...
Talks have resumed to try to end the fighting...
VERB: V, V n
• end‧ing
The ending of a marriage by death is different in many ways from an ending occasioned by divorce.
N-SING: usu the N of n
3.
An end to something or the end of it is the act or result of stopping it so that it does not continue any longer.
The French government today called for an end to the violence...
I was worried she would walk out or bring the interview to an end...
Francis fined him two weeks’ wages and said: ‘That’s the end of the matter.’
N-COUNT: usu sing, oft N to/of n
4.
If you say that someone or something ends a period of time in a particular way, you are indicating what the final situation was like. You can also say that a period of time ends in a particular way.
The markets ended the week on a quiet note...
The evening ended with a dramatic display of fireworks.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V prep, also V n by -ing, V n -ing
5.
If a period of time ends, it reaches its final point.
Its monthly reports on program trading usually come out about three weeks after each month ends...
The first figure shows sales for week ending July 27.
VERB: V, V
6.
If something such as a book, speech, or performance ends with a particular thing or the writer or performer ends it with that thing, its final part consists of the thing mentioned.
His statement ended with the words: ‘Pray for me.’...
The book ends on a lengthy description of Hawaii...
Dawkins ends his discussion with a call for liberation...
The memo ends: ‘Please give this matter your most urgent attention.’
VERB: V with/on n, V with/on n, V n with/on n, V with quote
7.
If a situation or event ends in a particular way, it has that particular result.
The incident could have ended in tragedy...
Our conversations ended with him saying he would try to be more understanding...
Shares ended 1.7 per cent firmer on the Frankfurt exchange.
VERB: V in n, V with n -ing, V adv/adj
8.
The two ends of something long and narrow are the two points or parts of it that are furthest away from each other.
The company is planning to place surveillance equipment at both ends of the tunnel...
A typical fluorescent lamp is a tube with metal electrodes at each end.
N-COUNT: with supp
9.
The end of a long, narrow object such as a finger or a pencil is the tip or smallest edge of it, usually the part that is furthest away from you.
He tapped the ends of his fingers together...
She let the long cone of ash hang at the end of her cigarette.
= tip
N-COUNT: usu with supp, oft N of n
10.
If an object ends with or in a particular thing, it has that thing on its tip or point, or as its last part.
It has three pairs of legs, each ending in a large claw.
VERB: V with/in n
11.
A journey, road, or river that ends at a particular place stops there and goes no further.
The road ended at a T-junction...
VERB: V prep/adv, also V
12.
End is used to refer to either of the two extreme points of a scale, or of something that you are considering as a scale.
At the other end of the social scale was the grocer, the village’s only merchant...
The agreement has been criticised by extremist groups on both ends of the political spectrum.
N-COUNT: with supp, oft N of n
13.
The other end is one of two places that are connected because people are communicating with each other by telephone or writing, or are travelling from one place to the other.
When he answered the phone, Ferguson was at the other end...
Make sure to meet them at the other end.
N-COUNT: supp N
14.
If you refer to a particular end of a project or piece of work, you mean a part or aspect of it, for example a part of it that is done by a particular person or in a particular place. (SPOKEN)
You take care of your end, kid, I’ll take care of mine...
N-COUNT: usu sing, usu supp N
15.
An end is the purpose for which something is done or towards which you are working.
The police force is being manipulated for political ends...
Now the government is trying another policy designed to achieve the same end.
N-COUNT: usu supp N
16.
If you say that something ends at a particular point, you mean that it is applied or exists up to that point, and no further.
Helen is also 25 and from Birmingham, but the similarity ends there...
VERB: V adv/prep
17.
You can refer to someone’s death as their end, especially when you are talking about the way that they died or might die. (LITERARY)
Soon after we had spoken to this man he had met a violent end.
N-COUNT: usu sing, usu supp N
18.
If you end by doing something or end in a particular state, you do that thing or get into that state even though you did not originally intend to.
They ended by making themselves miserable...
They’ll probably end back on the streets.
VERB: V by -ing, V adv/prep
19.
If someone ends it all, they kill themselves.
He grew suicidal, thinking up ways to end it all.
PHRASE: V inflects
20.
If you describe something as, for example, the deal to end all deals or the film to end all films, you mean that it is very important or successful, and that compared to it all other deals or films seem second-rate.
It was going to be a party to end all parties.
PHRASE: n PHR n
21.
If something is at an end, it has finished and will not continue.
The recession is definitely at an end.
PHRASE: v-link PHR
22.
If something comes to an end, it stops.
The cold war came to an end.
PHRASE: V inflects
23.
You say at the end of the day when you are talking about what happens after a long series of events or what appears to be the case after you have considered the relevant facts. (INFORMAL)
At the end of the day it’s up to the Germans to decide...
PHRASE: PHR with cl
24.
If you are thrown in at the deep end, you are put in a completely new situation without any help or preparation. If you jump in at the deep end, you go into a completely new situation without any help or preparation. (mainly BRIT)
It’s a superb job. You get thrown in at the deep end and it’s all down to you...
PHRASE: V inflects
25.
You say in the end when you are saying what is the final result of a series of events, or what is your final conclusion after considering all the relevant facts.
I toyed with the idea of calling the police, but in the end I didn’t...
PHRASE: PHR with cl
26.
If you consider something to be an end in itself, you do it because it seems desirable and not because it is likely to lead to something else.
While he had originally traveled in order to study, traveling had become an end in itself.
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR
27.
If you find it difficult to make ends meet, you can only just manage financially because you hardly have enough money for the things you need.
With Betty’s salary they barely made ends meet.
PHRASE: make inflects
28.
No end means a lot. (INFORMAL)
Teachers inform me that Tracey’s behaviour has improved no end.
PHRASE: PHR after v, oft PHR of n
29.
When something happens for hours, days, weeks, or years on end, it happens continuously and without stopping for the amount of time that is mentioned.
He is a wonderful companion and we can talk for hours on end...
PHRASE: pl-n PHR
30.
Something that is on end is upright, instead of in its normal or natural position, for example lying down, flat, or on its longest side.
PHRASE: PHR after v
31.
To put an end to something means to cause it to stop.
Only a political solution could put an end to the violence.
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n
32.
If a process or person has reached the end of the road, they are unable to progress any further.
Given the results of the vote, is this the end of the road for the hardliners in Congress?
PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR for n
33.
If you say that something bad is not the end of the world, you are trying to stop yourself or someone else being so upset by it, by suggesting that it is not the worst thing that could happen.
Obviously I’d be disappointed if we don’t make it, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
PHRASE: V inflects, oft it v-link PHR if
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
2end verb ends; end·ed; end·ing
1 a [no obj] : to stop or finish : to no longer continue to happen or exist
• The meeting ended [=concluded] at noon.
• The line of people ended around the corner.
• The road ends at the top of the hill.
• As soon as school ends [=(Brit) breaks up] she'll start her summer job.
• The demonstration ended peacefully.
• The meeting ended on a positive note.
• She started out poor but ended (up) a rich woman.
b [+ obj] : to stop or finish (something) : to cause (something) to no longer continue to happen or exist
• They ended [=concluded] the meeting at noon.
• The allegations could end his career.
• Her speech ended the convention.
• The argument ended their friendship.
• The company claims that its new product will be a/the computer to end all computers. [=a computer that is the ultimate or perfect computer]
• World War I was supposed to be the war to end all wars. : to come to the end of (something)
• She ended her career (as) a rich woman. [=she was rich at the end of her career]
• He ended his life/days (living) in a nursing home. [=he spent the last part of his life in a nursing home]
2 [+ obj] : to be the final part of (something)
• The letters “ing” end the word “going.”
• A wedding scene ends the film.
• A marching band will end the parade.
• Her speech will end the convention.
end in [phrasal verb] end in (something) : to have (something) at the end
• The word ends in a suffix. [=the last part of the word is a suffix]
• The knife ends in a sharp point.
• Their marriage ended in divorce.
• The race ended in a tie.
• The demonstration ended in chaos.
end up [phrasal verb] end up or end up (something) or end up (doing something) : to reach or come to a place, condition, or situation that was not planned or expected
• The book ended up in the trash.
• He didn't want to end up [=wind up] like his father.
• She ended up rich. = She ended up a rich woman.
• He ended up (living) in a nursing home.
• The movie we wanted to see was sold out so we ended up seeing a different one.
end with [phrasal verb]
1 end with (something) : to have (something) at the end
• The film ends with a wedding scene. [=the last part of the film is a wedding scene]
• The convention will end with her speech.
• The parade will end with a marching band.
2 end (something) with (something) : to cause (something) to have (something) at the end
• She will end the convention with her speech. [=the convention will be over after her speech]
• He ended the concert with one of his new songs.
end your life or end it all : to kill yourself : to commit suicide
• He tried to end his life by taking an overdose of pills.
• She thought about ending it all after her baby died.
