Finish - Definition

n 1: a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the
substance that gives it that appearance); "the boat had a
metallic finish"; "he applied a coat of a clear finish";
"when the finish is too thin it is difficult to apply
evenly" [syn: coating, finish, finishing]
2: the temporal end; the concluding time; "the stopping point of
each round was signaled by a bell"; "the market was up at the
finish"; "they were playing better at the close of the
season" [syn: stopping point, finale, finis, finish,
last, conclusion, close]
3: a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or
impeccable quality; "they performed with great polish"; "I
admired the exquisite refinement of his prose"; "almost an
inspiration which gives to all work that finish which is
almost art"--Joseph Conrad [syn: polish, refinement,
culture, cultivation, finish]
4: the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey); "a
crowd assembled at the finish"; "he was nearly exhausted as
their destination came into view" [syn: finish,
destination, goal]
5: designated event that concludes a contest (especially a
race); "excitement grew as the finish neared"; "my horse was
several lengths behind at the finish"; "the winner is the
team with the most points at the finish"
6: the downfall of someone (as of persons on one side of a
conflict); "booze will be the finish of him"; "it was a fight
to the finish"
7: event whose occurrence ends something; "his death marked the
ending of an era"; "when these final episodes are broadcast
it will be the finish of the show" [syn: ending,
conclusion, finish] [ant: beginning]
8: (wine tasting) the taste of a wine on the back of the tongue
(as it is swallowed); "the wine has a nutty flavor and a
pleasant finish"
9: the act of finishing; "his best finish in a major tournament
was third"; "the speaker's finishing was greeted with
applause" [syn: finish, finishing] [ant: beginning,
commencement, start]
v 1: come or bring to a finish or an end; "He finished the
dishes"; "She completed the requirements for her Master's
Degree"; "The fastest runner finished the race in just over
2 hours; others finished in over 4 hours" [syn: complete,
finish]
2: finally be or do something; "He ended up marrying his high
school sweetheart"; "he wound up being unemployed and living
at home again" [syn: finish up, land up, fetch up, end
up, wind up, finish]
3: have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense;
either spatial or metaphorical; "the bronchioles terminate in
a capillary bed"; "Your rights stop where you infringe upon
the rights of other"; "My property ends by the bushes"; "The
symphony ends in a pianissimo" [syn: end, stop, finish,
terminate, cease] [ant: begin, start]
4: provide with a finish; "The carpenter finished the table
beautifully"; "this shirt is not finished properly"
5: finish eating all the food on one's plate or on the table;
"She polished off the remaining potatoes" [syn: eat up,
finish, polish off]
6: cause to finish a relationship with somebody; "That finished
me with Mary"