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end

(ĕnd)

1. Either extremity of something that has length: the end of the pier.

2. The outside or extreme edge or physical limit; a boundary: the end of town.

3. The point in time when an action, event, or phenomenon ceases or is completed; the conclusion: the end of the day.

4. A result; an outcome.

5. Something toward which one strives; a goal. See Synonyms at intention.

6. The termination of life or existence; death: “A man awaits his end / Dreading and hoping all” (William Butler Yeats).

7. The ultimate extent; the very limit: the end of one's patience.

8. Slang The very best; the ultimate: This pizza's the end.

9. A remainder; a remnant.

10.

a. A share of a responsibility or obligation: your end of the bargain.

b. A particular area of responsibility: in charge of the business end of the campaign.

11. A warp end.

12. Football Either of the players in the outermost position on the line of scrimmage. Offensive ends are eligible to catch passes.

v. end·ed, end·ing, ends

v. tr.

1. To bring to a conclusion: Let's end this discussion.

2. To form the last or concluding part of: the song that ended the performance. See Synonyms at complete.

3. To destroy: ended our hopes.

v. intr.

1. To come to a finish; cease: The rain ended.

2. To arrive at a place, situation, or condition as a result of a course of action. Often used with up: He ended up as an adviser to the president. The painting ended up being sold for a million dollars.

3. To die.

Idioms:

at the end of (one's) rope (or tether)

Out of energy or patience; exhausted or exasperated.

at the end of the day

When everything is considered; in the final analysis.

end it all

To kill oneself; die by suicide.

in the end

Eventually; ultimately: All will turn out well in the end.

no end

A great deal: She had no end of stories to tell. The news upset us no end.

on end

1. Having one end down; upright: books placed on end on the shelf.

2. Without stopping: drove for hours on end.

[Middle English ende, from Old English; see ant- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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