finish

The end or final part of an activity, event, or journey.

• The race had an exciting finish.
• She was ahead from start to finish.
• Both runners reached the finish together.

Similar words: end, ending

Opposites: start, beginning

Common phrases: finish line, close finish, strong finish

The final coating or appearance of a surface after it has been treated.

• The table has a smooth finish.
• This paint gives the walls a soft finish.
• Water damaged the finish on the wooden floor.

Similar words: coating

Common phrases: smooth finish, glossy finish, wood finish

To reach the end of something you are doing, or for an activity or event to end.

• School finishes at three.
• I finished the book yesterday.
• Have you finished writing your letter?

How to use it: finish doing something (I finished cleaning the kitchen.); finish something (She finished her homework before dinner.)

Similar words: end, complete

Opposites: start, begin

Common phrases: finish work, finish a task, finish at noon

To eat, drink, or use all that remains of something.

• Please finish your milk.
• He finished off the last piece of cake.
• We finished up the soup yesterday.

How to use it: finish something up/off (We finished up the bread at lunch.)

Similar words: use up, consume

Common phrases: finish something up, finish something off, finish the milk

To make someone completely tired, or to kill someone who is already weak or hurt.

• That last hill finished me off.
• The attacker returned to finish off the wounded guard.
• Another hour of work would finish us off.

How to use it: finish someone off (The long walk in the heat finished me off.)

Common phrases: finish someone off, finish me off, finish them off

To stop using or needing something because you have done everything you wanted with it.

• Are you finished with this chair?
• I am finished with the computer now.
• She returned the books when she had finished with them.

How to use it: be finished with something (Are you finished with the newspaper?); finish with something (Please return the tools when you finish with them.)

Similar words: be done with

Common phrases: finish with something, finish with someone

To give a surface its final treatment, making it smooth, protected, or ready to use.

• They finish the wood by hand.
• He finished the table with a thin coat of oil.
• The cabinet was finished in dark varnish.

How to use it: finish something with something (We finished the table with clear varnish.); be finished in something (The cupboard is finished in white paint.)

Common phrases: finish wood, finish a surface, finish with varnish

To give farm animals special food to make them heavier before they are killed for meat.

• They finish cattle on grain.
• These lambs were finished on fresh pasture.
• How long does it take to finish the pigs?

How to use it: finish animals on something (The farmer finishes his cattle on grass.)

Similar words: fatten

Common phrases: finish cattle, finish on grain, finish on grass