END

Pronunciation (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does end mean? 

• END (noun)
  The noun END has 14 senses:

1. either extremity of something that has length
2. the point in time at which something ends
3. the concluding parts of an event or occurrence
4. the state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it
5. a final part or section
6. a final state
7. the surface at either extremity of a three-dimensional object
8. (football) the person who plays at one end of the line of scrimmage
9. one of two places from which people are communicating to each other
10. a boundary marking the extremities of something
11. the part you are expected to play
12. the last section of a communication
13. a piece of cloth that is left over after the rest has been used or sold
14. a position on the line of scrimmage

  Familiarity information: END used as a noun is familiar.

• END (verb)
  The verb END has 4 senses:

1. have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical
2. bring to an end or halt
3. be the end of; be the last or concluding part of
4. put an end to

  Familiarity information: END used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• END (noun)

Sense 1

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Either extremity of something that has length

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Context examples:

the end of the pier / she knotted the end of the thread / they rode to the end of the line

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

extremity (the outermost or farthest region or point)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "end"):

tip (the extreme end of something; especially something pointed)

destination; finish; goal (the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey))

end point; endpoint; termination; terminus (a place where something ends or is complete)

heel (one of the crusty ends of a loaf of bread)

telomere (either (free) end of a eukaryotic chromosome)

nerve end; nerve ending (the terminal structure of an axon that does not end at a synapse)

yardarm (either end of the yard of a square-rigged ship)

terminus (either end of a railroad or bus route)

railhead (the end of the completed track on an unfinished railway)

magnetic pole; pole (one of the two ends of a magnet where the magnetism seems to be concentrated)

point (sharp end)

heel (the lower end of a ship's mast)

bitthead (the upper end of a bitt)

bitter end ((nautical) the inboard end of a line or cable especially the end that is wound around a bitt)

Sense 2

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The point in time at which something ends

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

end; ending

Context examples:

the end of the year / the ending of warranty period

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

point; point in time (an instant of time)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "end"):

limit; terminal point; terminus ad quem (final or latest limiting point)

expiration; expiry; termination (a coming to an end of a contract period)

last gasp (the point of death or exhaustion or completion)

fag end; tail; tail end (the time of the last part of something)

cease (('cease' is a noun only in the phrase 'without cease') end)

close; conclusion; finale; finis; finish; last; stopping point (the temporal end; the concluding time)

year-end (the end of a calendar year)

period (the end or completion of something)

death; demise; dying (the time when something ends)

death; last (the time at which life ends; continuing until dead)

Antonym:

beginning (the time at which something is supposed to begin)

middle (time between the beginning and the end of a temporal period)

Sense 3

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The concluding parts of an event or occurrence

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

final stage; end; last

Context examples:

the end was exciting / I had to miss the last of the movie

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

conclusion; ending; finish (event whose occurrence ends something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "end"):

passing (the end of something)

homestretch (the end of an enterprise)

end game; endgame (the final stages of an extended process of negotiation)

end game; endgame (the final stages of a chess game after most of the pieces have been removed from the board)

Sense 4

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The state of affairs that a plan is intended to achieve and that (when achieved) terminates behavior intended to achieve it

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

goal; end

Context example:

the ends justify the means

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

cognitive content; content; mental object (the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "end"):

intention ((usually plural) the goal with respect to a marriage proposal)

aim; design; intent; intention; purpose (an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions)

no-goal (a nonexistent goal)

destination; terminus (the ultimate goal for which something is done)

end-all (the ultimate goal)

bourn; bourne (an archaic term for a goal or destination)

aim; object; objective; target (the goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable))

Holonyms ("end" is a part of...):

plan of action (a plan for actively doing something)

Sense 5

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A final part or section

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context examples:

we have given it at the end of the section since it involves the calculus / Start at the beginning and go on until you come to the end

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

division; part; section (one of the portions into which something is regarded as divided and which together constitute a whole)

Antonym:

beginning (the first part or section of something)

middle (an intermediate part or section)

Sense 6

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A final state

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

destruction; end; death

Context examples:

he came to a bad end / the so-called glorious experiment came to an inglorious end

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

state (the way something is with respect to its main attributes)

Sense 7

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The surface at either extremity of a three-dimensional object

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Context example:

one end of the box was marked 'This side up'

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

surface (the extended two-dimensional outer boundary of a three-dimensional object)

Sense 8

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

(football) the person who plays at one end of the line of scrimmage

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Context example:

the end managed to hold onto the pass

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

lineman (one of the players on the line of scrimmage)

Domain category:

football; football game (any of various games played with a ball (round or oval) in which two teams try to kick or carry or propel the ball into each other's goal)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "end"):

tight end ((football) an offensive end who lines up close to the tackle)

split end ((football) an offensive end who lines up at a distance from the other linemen)

Sense 9

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

One of two places from which people are communicating to each other

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Context examples:

the phone rang at the other end / both ends wrote at the same time

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

place; spot; topographic point (a point located with respect to surface features of some region)

Sense 10

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A boundary marking the extremities of something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Context example:

the end of town

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

bound; boundary; bounds (the line or plane indicating the limit or extent of something)

Sense 11

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The part you are expected to play

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

he held up his end

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

contribution; part; share (any one of a number of individual efforts in a common endeavor)

Sense 12

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

The last section of a communication

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

closing; close; ending; conclusion; end

Context example:

in conclusion I want to say...

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

section; subdivision (a self-contained part of a larger composition (written or musical))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "end"):

coda; finale (the closing section of a musical composition)

peroration ((rhetoric) the concluding section of an oration)

epilog; epilogue (a short speech (often in verse) addressed directly to the audience by an actor at the end of a play)

epilog; epilogue (a short passage added at the end of a literary work)

anticlimax; bathos (a change from a serious subject to a disappointing one)

Holonyms ("end" is a part of...):

narration; recital; yarn (the act of giving an account describing incidents or a course of events)

address; speech (the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience)

Sense 13

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A piece of cloth that is left over after the rest has been used or sold

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

oddment; remnant; remainder; end

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

piece of cloth; piece of material (a separate part consisting of fabric)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "end"):

fag end (the frayed end of a length of cloth or rope)

Sense 14

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A position on the line of scrimmage

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Context example:

no one wanted to play end

Hypernyms ("end" is a kind of...):

lineman (the position of a player on a football team who is stationed on the line of scrimmage)

Holonyms ("end" is a member of...):

eleven; football team (a team that plays football)

• END (verb)

Sense 1

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

end; cease; terminate; finish; stop

Context examples:

the bronchioles terminate in a capillary bed / Your rights stop where you infringe upon the rights of other / My property ends by the bushes / The symphony ends in a pianissimo

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "end"):

go; run low; run short (to be spent or finished)

disappear; go away; vanish (become invisible or unnoticeable)

close; conclude (come to a close)

come out; turn out (result or end)

discontinue (come or be at an end)

break (come to an end)

run out (become used up; be exhausted)

climax; culminate (end, especially to reach a final or climactic stage)

disappear; vanish (cease to exist)

adjourn; break up; recess (close at the end of a session)

go out (become extinguished)

cut out (cease operating)

lapse (end, at least for a long time)

pass away (go out of existence)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Antonym:

begin (have a beginning, in a temporal, spatial, or evaluative sense)

Sense 2

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Bring to an end or halt

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

terminate; end

Context examples:

She ended their friendship when she found out that he had once been convicted of a crime / The attack on Poland terminated the relatively peaceful period after WW I

Hypernyms (to "end" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Cause:

cease; end; finish; stop; terminate (have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "end"):

crush out; extinguish; press out; stub out (extinguish by crushing)

finalise; finalize; nail down; settle (make final; put the last touches on; put into final form)

complete; finish (come or bring to a finish or an end)

closure; cloture (terminate debate by calling for a vote)

adjudicate; decide; resolve; settle (bring to an end; settle conclusively)

conclude (bring to a close)

close (complete a business deal, negotiation, or an agreement)

phase out (terminate gradually)

close (finish or terminate (meetings, speeches, etc.))

break; interrupt (terminate)

break; break off; discontinue; stop (prevent completion)

close out (terminate)

finish (cause to finish a relationship with somebody)

abort (terminate before completion)

culminate (bring to a head or to the highest point)

lift; raise (put an end to)

ax; axe (terminate)

kill; stamp out (end or extinguish by forceful means)

break up; dissolve (come to an end)

break up; dissolve (bring the association of to an end or cause to break up)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

They end moving

Antonym:

begin (take the first step or steps in carrying out an action)

begin (set in motion, cause to start)

Sense 3

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Be the end of; be the last or concluding part of

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

end; terminate

Context example:

This sad scene ended the movie

Hypernyms (to "end" is one way to...):

be (have the quality of being; (copula, used with an adjective or a predicate noun))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "end"):

close (cause a window or an application to disappear on a computer desktop)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Sense 4

end [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Put an end to

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Context example:

The terrible news ended our hopes that he had survived

Hypernyms (to "end" is one way to...):

destroy; destruct (do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something