finish

A1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈfɪnɪʃ/ UK /ˈfɪnɪʃ/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like finis /s/ vs /ʃ/

Freq #742

Meanings

1

verb
To complete something or bring it to an end.

I finished my homework before dinner.
2

noun
The end of something, especially a race or contest.

The crowd cheered loudly at the finish of the race.
3

noun
The look or texture of a surface, or the substance giving it that look.

The table had a smooth, glossy finish.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Multiword verbs with finish

finish off Phrasal verb A1

to complete the last part of a task

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to complete something or... complete

2 noun · the end of something,... goal

3 noun · the look or texture of a... coating

More cessation close conclusion end endingendpointfinal finale finis halt omega termination

Opposites

begin beginning continuation initiate start

Word family

Forms finishedfinishes

Derived forms finishablefinisherfinishipperfinishmentlinishmicrofinishnonfinishingoutfinishprefinishrefinishself-finishedself-finishing

Related forms completion

Appears in

Phrases (8)

See all

finish work
to complete one's work for the day

Verb + noun
reach the finish
arrive at the end point of a race or challenge

Verb + noun
close finish
a race or competition decided by a very small margin

Adjective + noun
photo finish
a finish so close that a photograph is needed to determine the winner

Adjective + noun
smooth finish
an even, polished surface quality on a material

Adjective + noun
strong finish
a powerful or impressive ending to a race, competition, or project

Adjective + noun

Proverbs (5)

See all

Simplified etymology

Finish entered English in the Middle English period and ultimately comes from the same root as Old French fin, “end.” It belongs to the family that also produced finance, fine, define, and refine.

Etymology

From Middle English finishen, finisshen, finischen, from Old French finiss-, stem of some of the conjugated forms of finir, from Latin fīnīre, from fīnis (“end, limit, border, boundary”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeygʷ- (“to stick, set up”) or from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to split”).

finishen Middle English *dʰeygʷ- Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# finish

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** verb, noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈfɪnɪʃ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfɪnɪʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 742

## Meanings
1. To complete something or bring it to an end.
2. The end of something, especially a race or contest.
3. The look or texture of a surface, or the substance giving it that look.

## Examples
- I finished my homework before dinner.
- The crowd cheered loudly at the finish of the race.
- The table had a smooth, glossy finish.

## Synonyms
- cessation
- close
- conclusion
- end
- ending
- endpoint
- final
- finale
- finis
- halt
- omega
- termination

## Antonyms
- begin
- beginning
- continuation
- initiate
- start

## Derived Forms
- finishable
- finisher
- finishipper
- finishment
- linish
- microfinish
- nonfinishing
- outfinish
- prefinish
- refinish
- self-finished
- self-finishing

## Related Forms
- completion

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: finishen
- Root: *dʰeygʷ-
- Root: *bʰeyd-

## Etymology
From Middle English finishen, finisshen, finischen, from Old French finiss-, stem of some of the conjugated forms of finir, from Latin fīnīre, from fīnis (“end, limit, border, boundary”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeygʷ- (“to stick, set up”) or from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to split”).

## AI Etymology
Finish comes from Middle English finishen, finisshen, finischen, from Old French finiss-, stem of some of the conjugated forms of finir, from Latin fīnīre, from fīnis (“end, limit, border, boundary”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeygʷ- (“to stick, set up”) or from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- (“to split”). In current use, the main senses are “To complete something or bring it to an end” and “The end of something, especially a race or contest”.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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