finish

From Middle English finishen, finisshen, finischen, from Old French finiss-, stem of some of the conjugated forms of finir, from Latin fīnīre, present active infinitive of fīniō.

• enPR: fĭn'ĭsh, IPA^(key): /ˈfɪnɪʃ/

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• Homophone: Finnish

finish (plural finishes)

1. An end; the end of anything.
2. A protective coating given to wood or metal and other surfaces.

   The car's finish was so shiny and new.

3. The result of any process changing the physical or chemical properties of cloth.
4. A finishing touch; careful elaboration; polish.
5. (sports) A shot on goal, especially one that ends in a goal.
   • 2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, in BBC‎:

     The Italian opted for Bolton's Cahill alongside captain John Terry - and his decision was rewarded with a goal after only 13 minutes. Bulgaria gave a hint of defensive frailties to come when they failed to clear Young's corner, and when Gareth Barry found Cahill in the box he applied the finish past Nikolay Mihaylov.

finish (third-person singular simple present finishes, present participle finishing, simple past and past participle finished)

1. (transitive) To complete (something).

   Be sure to finish your homework before you go to bed!

2. (transitive) To apply a treatment to (a surface or similar).

   The furniture was finished in teak veneer.

   • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 10, in The Celebrity:

     Mr. Cooke had had a sloop yacht built at Far Harbor, the completion of which had been delayed, and which was but just delivered. […] The Maria had a cabin, which was finished in hard wood and yellow plush, and accommodations for keeping things cold.

3. (transitive) To change an animal's food supply in the months before it is due for slaughter, with the intention of fattening the animal.

   Due to BSE, cows in the United Kingdom must be finished and slaughtered before 30 months of age.

4. (intransitive) To come to an end.

   We had to leave before the concert had finished.

• (transitive, to complete): This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (the -ing form). See Appendix:English catenative verbs

• (to complete): initiate, begin, start

• nice guys finish last

• finish line
• finishing school

• fishin'

finish c (singular definite finishen, not used in plural form)

1. (the appearance after) fine-tuning, finishing touch
2. finish (a spectacular end in a race or a competition)

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finish f (uncountable)

1. finish; end

finish

1. first-person singular present indicative of finishen
2. imperative of finishen