TOP

Definition of end noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

    final part

  1.  
     the final part of a period of time, an event, an activity or a story
    • It's the end of an era.
    • the end of the book
    • at the end of something at the end of the week
    • at the end There’ll be a chance to ask questions at the end.
    • by the end of something He wants the reports by the end of the month.
    • to the end of something She remained active as an artist to the end of her life.
    • towards the end (of something) I was getting bored towards the end of the talk.
    • until the end We didn't leave until the very end.
    • until the end of something I'm staying until the end of this week.
    • We had to hear about the whole journey from beginning to end.
    • He is nearing the end of his career.
    • Our end-of-season sale starts next week.
    see also back end (1), front end (3)
    Extra Examples
    • I'll never get to the end of this book!
    • It stayed hot right up to the end of September.
    • They get married at the end of the movie.
    • I hope to finish this by the end of the week.
    • They finally get named at the end of the book.
    • Her death marks the end of an era.
    • You don't know who the murderer is until right at the end of the book.
    • His story was one big lie from beginning to end.
    • The award was a fitting end to a distinguished career.
    • The pigs were weighed at the beginning and end of the experiment.
    • Near the end of each term, students were selected from each class for a prize.
    • The new rules could be in place before the end of this year.
    • The plants die at the end of each growing season.
    • Her contract expires at the end of the year.
    • In the six months to the end of March overall revenue rose 18%.
    • They scored a goal three minutes from the end of extra time.
    Topics Literature and writinga1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • abrupt
    • sudden
    • early
    • …
    verb + end
    • come to
    • get to
    • reach
    • …
    end + verb
    • be in sight
    end + noun
    • user
    • point
    • product
    • …
    preposition
    • at an end
    • at the end
    • by the end
    • …
    phrases
    • at the very end
    • right at the end
    • from beginning to end
    • …
    See full entry
    2.

    finish

  2.  
     a situation in which something does not exist any more
    • It was the end of all his dreams.
    • That was by no means the end of the matter.
    • at an end The war was finally at an end.
    • The meeting came to an end (= finished).
    • The coup brought his corrupt regime to an end.
    • This latest attack could spell the end of the peace process.
    • an end to something They have called for an end to violence.
    • an end to the conflict/war
    • Let’s put an end to (= stop) these rumours once and for all.
    • There's no end in sight to the present crisis.
    • Cheap air travel marked the end of the golden age of the British seaside holiday.
    • The release of ‘The Jazz Singer’ signalled the end of the silent movie era.
    Extra Examples
    • He won't win, but he'll keep fighting to the end.
    • Talks were in progress to bring an end to the fighting.
    • The meeting finally came to an end at six.
    • The proceedings are expected to be at an end by 6 p.m.
    • What the business community wants is an end to the recession.
    • The injury brought her career to an early end.
    • As far as I'm concerned, that's the end of it.
    • the end of the civil war
    • They demanded an end to racial discrimination in the workplace.
    • I think I've finally reached the end of the teen movie craze.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • abrupt
    • sudden
    • early
    • …
    verb + end
    • come to
    • get to
    • reach
    • …
    end + verb
    • be in sight
    end + noun
    • user
    • point
    • product
    • …
    preposition
    • at an end
    • at the end
    • by the end
    • …
    phrases
    • at the very end
    • right at the end
    • from beginning to end
    • …
    See full entry
    3.

    furthest part

  3.  
     the part of an object or a place that is the furthest away from its centre
    • I joined the end of the queue.
    • Go to the end of the line!
    • at the end of something Turn right at the end of the road.
    • His office is the room at the other end of the corridor.
    • That's his wife sitting at the far end of the table.
    • on the end of something You've got something on the end of your nose.
    • Tie the ends of the string together.
    • These two products are from opposite ends of the price range.
    • We've travelled from one end of Mexico to the other.
    • They live in the end house.
    see also big end, business end (1), dead end, East End, front end (1), rear end, split end, tail end
    Extra Examples
    • Continue until you reach the end of the road.
    • The bank is right at the end of the street.
    • The famous Las Vegas Strip is about three miles from end to end.
    • Turn into Hope Street and our house is right at the end.
    • the southern end of the lake
    • We walked along the whole promenade, from end to end.
    • The rope was unfastened at one end.
    • Take the free end of the rope and pass it through the hole.
    • housebuyers at the cheap end of the market
    • The two parties represent opposite ends of the political spectrum.
    • The car was lifted up by the winds and tumbled end over end along the ground.
    • Their red blood cells were at the low end of the normal range.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • bottom
    • lower
    • top
    • …
    verb + end
    • come to
    • get to
    • reach
    • …
    end + noun
    • part
    • piece
    • portion
    • …
    preposition
    • at the end
    • on end
    phrases
    • at one end
    • change ends
    • close to the end
    • …
    See full entry
    4.

    aim

  4. an aim or a purpose
    • They are prepared to use violence in pursuit of their ends.
    • She is exploiting the current situation for her own ends.
    • He joined the society for political ends.
    • With this end in view (= in order to achieve this) they employed 50 new staff.
    • We are willing to make any concessions necessary to this end (= in order to achieve this).
    • They are working towards common ends.
    Synonyms targettargetobjective ▪ goal ▪ object ▪ endThese are all words for something that you are trying to achieve.target a result that you try to achieve:
    • Set yourself targets that you can reasonably hope to achieve.
    • attainment targets in schools
    objective (rather formal) something that you are trying to achieve:
    • What is the main objective of this project?
    goal something that you hope to achieve:
    • He continued to pursue his goal of becoming an actor.
     target, objective or goal?A target is usually officially recorded in some way, for example by an employer or by a government committee. It is often specific, and in the form of figures, such as number of sales or exam passes, or a date. People often set their own objectives: these are things that they wish to achieve, often as part of a project or a talk they are giving. Goals are often long-term, and relate to people’s life and career plans or the long-term plans of a company or organization.object the purpose of something; something that you plan to achieve:
    • The object is to educate people about road safety.
    end something that you plan to achieve:
    • He joined the society for political ends.
    • That’s only OK if you believe that the end justifies the means (= bad methods of doing something are acceptable if the final result is good).
    End is usually used in the plural or in particular fixed expressions.    Patterns
    • to work towards a(n) target/​objective/​goal
    • a(n) ambitious/​major/​long-term/​short-term/​future target/​objective/​goal
    • economic/​financial/​business targets/​objectives/​goals
    • to set/​agree on/​identify/​reach/​meet/​exceed a(n) target/​objective/​goal
    • to achieve a(n) target/​objective/​goal/​end
    Extra Examples
    • Despite our differences, we were working to a common end.
    • She was prepared to lie in order to achieve her ends.
    • He wished to have a house built, and to this end he engaged a local architect.
    • The money might have been used to more beneficial ends.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • noble
    • worthwhile
    • worthy
    • …
    verb + end
    • accomplish
    • achieve
    • attain
    • …
    preposition
    • to… ends
    • to this end
    phrases
    • an end in itself
    • a means to an end
    • the end justifies the means
    • …
    See full entry
    5.

    part of activity

  5. [usually singular] a part of an activity with which somebody is involved, especially in business
    • We need somebody to handle the marketing end of the business.
    • Are there any problems at your end?
    • I have kept my end of the bargain.
    see also business end (2), front end (2)
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • bottom
    • lower
    • top
    • …
    verb + end
    • come to
    • get to
    • reach
    • …
    end + noun
    • part
    • piece
    • portion
    • …
    preposition
    • at the end
    • on end
    phrases
    • at one end
    • change ends
    • close to the end
    • …
    See full entry
    6.

    of phone line/journey

  6. [usually singular] either of two places connected by a phone call, journey, etc.
    • I answered the phone but there was no one at the other end.
    • Jean is going to meet me at the other end.
    7.

    of sports field

  7. one of the two halves of a sports field
    • The teams changed ends at half-time.
    Topics Sports: ball and racket sportsa2

    8. piece left

  8. (British English) a small piece that is left after something has been used
    • a cigarette end
    see also bin-end, dog-end, fag end, loose end, odds and ends

    9. death

  9. [usually singular] a person’s death. People say ‘end’ to avoid saying ‘death’.
    • She came to an untimely end (= died young).
    • I was with him at the end (= when he died).
    • (literary) He met his end (= died) at the Battle of Waterloo.
    Extra Examples
    • He was bound to meet a violent end one day.
    • The end came when he collapsed after playing golf.
    • She had a short life and a tragic end.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • sad
    • tragic
    • bad
    • …
    verb + end
    • come to
    • meet
    end + verb
    • come
    See full entry
  10. (in American football) a lineman who is nearest to the side of the field
    • a defensive end
    • He does as good a job as any end in football at helping his teammates.
    see also tight endTopics Sports: ball and racket sportsc2
    11. see also front-end, high-end, low-end, rear-end, top-end
    Word OriginOld English ende (noun), endian (verb), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch einde (noun), einden (verb) and German Ende (noun), enden (verb).
Idioms
at the end of the day
 
  1. (informal) used to introduce the most important fact after everything has been considered
    • At the end of the day, he'll still have to make his own decision.
at a loose end (British English)
(North American English usually at loose ends)
  1. (informal) having nothing to do and not knowing what you want to do
    • Come and see us, if you're at a loose end.
a bad/sticky end
  1. (British English, informal) something unpleasant that happens to somebody, for example punishment or a violent death, usually because of their own actions
    • He'll come to a sticky end one of these days if he carries on like that.
be at the end of something
  1. to have almost nothing left of something
    • I'm at the end of my patience.
    • They are at the end of their food supply.
be at the end of your tether (British English)
(North American English be at the end of your rope)
  1. (informal) to feel that you cannot deal with a difficult situation any more because you are too tired, worried, etc.
    • You’d better let her know you’re safe. She’s at the end of her tether.
be at/on the receiving end (of something)
  1. (informal) to be the person that an action, etc. is directed at, especially an unpleasant one
    • She found herself on the receiving end of a great deal of criticism.
be at your wits’ end
  1. (informal) to be so worried by a problem that you do not know what to do next
    • She was at her wits’ end wondering how she’d manage it all in the time.
    • I'm at my wits' end trying to cope with his moods.
    Topics Feelingsc2
be the end
  1. (British English, informal) when you say that people or situations are the end, you mean that you are annoyed with them
the beginning of the end
  1. the first sign of something ending
    • The scandal was the beginning of the end of his career as a politician.
    Extra Examples
    • It wasn't the end of their marriage, but it was the beginning of the end.
    • That day was the beginning of the end of our friendship.
burn the candle at both ends
  1. to become very tired by trying to do too many things and going to bed late and getting up early
an end in itself
  1. a thing that is itself important and not just a part of something more important
    • For her, shopping had become an end in itself.
    • For him, travelling had become an end in itself rather than a means of seeing new places.
the end justifies the means
  1. (saying) bad or unfair methods of doing something are acceptable if the result of that action is good or positive
    • He defended a morality in which the end justifies the means.
    • That's only OK if you believe that the end justifies the means.
(reach) the end of the line/road
  1. (to reach) the point at which something can no longer continue in the same way
    • A defeat in the second round marked the end of the line for last year's champion.
    • The loss of this contract could signal the end of the line for the shipyard.
    • This latest disagreement could mean the end of the road for the band.
end of story (informal)
(British English also end of)
  1. used when you are stating that there is nothing more that can be said or done about something
    • If she doesn’t agree, I won’t go ahead. End of story.
end to end
  1. in a line, with the ends touching
    • They arranged the tables end to end.
get/have your end away
  1. (British English, slang) to have sex
get the short end of the stick (North American English)
(British English draw the short straw)
  1. to be the person in a group who is chosen or forced to perform an unpleasant duty or task
get (hold of) the wrong end of the stick
  1. (British English, informal) to understand something in the wrong way
go off the deep end
  1. (informal) to suddenly become very angry or emotional
go to the ends of the earth
  1. to do everything possible, even if it is difficult, in order to get or achieve something
    • I'd go to the ends of the earth to see her again.
    Topics Successc2
in the end
  1.  
     after a long period of time or series of events
    • He tried various jobs and in the end became an accountant.
    • In the end, they decided to spend Christmas at home.
    Topics Timea2
  2.  
     after everything has been considered
    • You can try your best to impress the interviewers but in the end it's often just a question of luck.
jump/be thrown in at the deep end
  1. (informal) to start or be made to start a new and difficult activity that you are not prepared for
    • Junior hospital doctors are thrown in at the deep end in their first jobs.
    • The company believes in throwing new employees in at the deep end with no training.
keep your end up
  1. (British English, informal) to continue to be cheerful in a difficult situation
light at the end of the tunnel
  1. something that shows you are nearly at the end of a long and difficult time or situation
    • For the first time since the start of his treatment, we can now see light at the end of the tunnel.
make (both) ends meet
  1. to earn just enough money to be able to buy the things you need
    • Many families struggle to make ends meet.
make somebody’s hair stand on end
  1. (informal) to shock or frighten somebody
    • a chilling tale that will make your hair stand on end
a means to an end
  1. a thing or an action that is not interesting or important in itself but is a way of achieving something else
    • He doesn't particularly like the work but he sees it as a means to an end.
    • I don't enjoy studying computing—it's just a means to an end.
no end
  1. (informal) very much
    • It upset me no end to hear they'd split up.
no end of something
  1. (informal) a lot of something
    • We had no end of trouble getting them to agree.
not the end of the world
  1. (informal) not the worst thing that could happen to somebody
    • Failing one exam is not the end of the world.
    • It won't be the end of the world if you don't get the job.
not/never hear the end of it
  1. to keep being reminded of something because somebody is always talking to you about it
    • If we don't get her a dog we'll never hear the end of it.
on end
  1. in a position standing upright rather than lying flat
    • It'll fit if you stand it on end.
    • Stand the box on end.
    • Stand it on end.
  2. for the stated length of time, without stopping
    • He would disappear for weeks on end.
put an end to yourself | put an end to it all
  1. to kill yourself
the rough end of the pineapple
  1. (Australian English, informal) a situation in which somebody is treated badly or unfairly
the sharp end (of something)
  1. (British English, informal) the place or position of greatest difficulty or responsibility
    • He started work at the sharp end of the business, as a salesman.
the thin end of the wedge
  1. (especially British English) an event or action that is the beginning of something more serious and/or unpleasant
    • The introduction of a tax on workplace parking is seen by many as the thin end of the wedge.
to/until the bitter end
  1. continuing until you have done everything you can, or until something is completely finished, despite difficulties and problems
    • They were prepared to fight to the bitter end for their rights.
    • We will fight this case to the bitter end.
See end in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee end in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
Check pronunciation: end

Nearby words

dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
Health problems
C1
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day