# finish

Pronunciation: say "FIN-ish" /ˈfɪnɪʃ/

## Verb

1. To complete something or bring it to an end, or to come to an end.
   - Simple: To complete something, or to come to an end.
   - _The crew finished the bridge two weeks ahead of schedule._
   - _Workers finish each unit before moving to the next._
5. To apply a protective or decorative coating to a surface such as wood or metal.
   - Simple: To put a coating on a surface to protect it or make it look nice.
   - _The carpenter finished the oak panels with linseed oil._
   - _Craftsmen finish these guitars with multiple thin layers of lacquer._
6. To put a definitive end to something; to destroy or ruin it.
   - Simple: To completely end or destroy something.
   - _The scandal finished his political career._
   - _A single bad harvest can finish a small farm._
8. To reach orgasm. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: To reach the strongest point of pleasure during sex.
   - _He apologized for finishing before his partner was ready._
   - _Anxiety can make it harder for some people to finish during sex._
9. To alter a farm animal's feed in the months before slaughter in order to fatten it.
   - Simple: To feed a farm animal special food to fatten it before slaughter.
   - _Ranchers often finish steers on corn to improve marbling._
   - _They finished the lambs on clover pasture._

## Noun

2. The end or final part of something, or the way it ends.
   - Simple: The end of something, or the way it ends.
   - _The runners sprinted toward the finish._
   - _The story's finish surprised everyone._
3. The surface appearance or texture of something such as wood, metal, or cloth, or the coating or treatment that produces it.
   - Simple: The way a surface looks or feels after treatment, or the coating used to make it.
   - _The desk's matte finish resisted scratches._
   - _They chose a glossy finish for the cabinets._
4. The careful refinement or polish that gives something a complete, well-crafted quality.
   - Simple: The last careful work that makes something neat and complete.
   - _The cabinetry showed a level of finish rarely seen in mass-produced furniture._
   - _His prose has a finish that comes only from years of revision._
7. A shot at goal, particularly one that results in a score.
   - Simple: A shot that scores or tries to score a goal.
   - _The striker is known for clinical finishes under pressure._
   - _A composed finish sealed the win in the final minute._

## Origin

From Middle English finishen, borrowed through Old French finir from Latin fīnīre, from fīnis ("end, limit, boundary"). This may go back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to stick, set up" or "to split."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/finish (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).