end
end
Pronunciation
end /ɛnd/
Syllable 1: /ɛn/ (as in "en" in enter) + /d/ (as in "d" in dog)
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: end
Plural: ends
Verb:
Base form: end
Third-person singular present: ends
Present participle: ending
Past tense: ended
Past participle: ended
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
1. The ultimate point or extent of something; the conclusion or termination.
Synonyms: finish, close, cessation, completion, finale, resolution
Antonyms: beginning, start, inception, origin, commencement, onset
2. A part or section forming an extremity or boundary.
Synonyms: tip, edge, extremity, terminal, boundary, limit
Antonyms: middle, center, interior, core, heart
3. The purpose or aim for which something is done or for which something exists; an objective.
Synonyms: goal, aim, objective, purpose, intention, target
Antonyms: means, method, process, instrument
Verb
1. To bring to a close or conclusion; to cease or stop.
Synonyms: finish, conclude, terminate, stop, discontinue, complete
Antonyms: begin, start, commence, initiate, resume, continue
2. To come to a close; to cease to exist or operate.
Synonyms: cease, conclude, finish, expire, perish, resolve
Antonyms: begin, start, emerge, originate, arise, continue
Adjective
1. Being at the final part or conclusion of something; ultimate.
Synonyms: final, ultimate, last, conclusive, concluding, terminal
Antonyms: initial, first, beginning, primary, introductory
Examples of Use
Books:
"All things must end," she whispered, watching the last of the autumn leaves fall. (Example from a fictional novel, illustrating the noun form as a concept of finality.)
In The Lord of the Rings, the long journey of Frodo and Sam comes to an end at Mount Doom. (Referring to the conclusion of an event, noun form.)
Newspapers:
"Negotiations to end the teachers' strike are expected to resume this afternoon," read a headline in The Daily Chronicle. (Verb form, meaning to bring something to a conclusion.)
"The article explored the economic impacts of the pandemic, noting that the end of the lockdown brought a surge in consumer spending." (The Economic Times, noun form, referring to a specific termination point.)
Online Publications:
"Is this the end of an era for traditional media?" questioned an op-ed piece on TechCrunch. (Noun form, referring to a significant conclusion or turning point.)
"Google announced it would end support for older versions of its browser by the end of next year." (The Verge, verb form, indicating discontinuation.)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "At the end of Inception, Cobb's totem continues to spin, leaving the audience to ponder the reality of his situation." (Noun form, referring to the conclusion of the film's narrative.)
Television Series: "Fans were devastated when their favorite show came to an abrupt end after only two seasons." (Noun form, referring to the cancellation/termination of the series.)
Video Games: "Successfully completing all side quests will unlock a secret end to the game." (Noun form, referring to an alternative conclusion or outcome.)
Music: "The song builds to a powerful crescendo before a sudden, quiet end." (Noun form, describing the conclusion of a musical piece.)
Podcasts: "Join us next week as we discuss the future of AI, a conversation that seems to have no end in sight." (Noun form, indicating something boundless or ongoing.)
General Public Discourse:
"Let's meet at the end of the street." (Noun form, referring to a physical boundary or extremity.)
"I need to end this call now; my battery is almost dead." (Verb form, meaning to terminate an action.)
"They worked tirelessly to achieve their end goal of providing clean water to the village." (Noun form, referring to an objective or purpose.)
"Don't worry, there's light at the end of the tunnel." (Figurative use of the noun form, meaning hope or a positive outcome after a difficult period.)
"This is the end of my patience!" (Noun form, expressing the limit of one's tolerance.)
10 Famous Quotes Using End
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." — Lao Tzu (Metaphorical, emphasizing that every beginning implies an eventual end)
"The end justifies the means." — Often attributed to Niccolò Machiavelli (From The Prince, though not an exact quote, it captures his philosophy)
"It is not the end of the world." — Common idiom (Used to convey that a difficult situation is not catastrophic)
"This is the end, my beautiful friend, this is the end." — The Doors (From the song "The End")
"A good end cannot sanctify evil means; nor a bad end excuse bad means." — Edmund Burke (From Reflections on the Revolution in France)
"There is an end to all things, even to our pain." — Victor Hugo (From Les Misérables)
"To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure." — J.K. Rowling (From Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, a metaphorical take on the "end" of life)
"When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." — Franklin D. Roosevelt (A common inspirational quote, often attributed to FDR)
"The beginning is the most important part of the work." — Plato (A synonymous quote, as a beginning implies an eventual end)
"All's well that ends well." — William Shakespeare (From the play All's Well That Ends Well)
Etymology
The word "end" has a long and interesting history, tracing its roots back to ancient Germanic languages.
Imagine a very old word, andi, used by people speaking what we call Proto-Germanic (the ancestor of languages like English, German, and Dutch). This andi already meant something like "the final point" or "boundary."
As English started to form and develop from these older Germanic languages, andi evolved into what we see in Old English as "ende." This "ende" had a very similar meaning to our "end" today:
It was used to mean the very last part of something, its conclusion or termination. Think of the "end" of a path or a story.
It also referred to a boundary or a limit, like the "end" of a field.
And importantly, it could mean a purpose or goal, like saying something was done "to that end."
So, the first known uses and meanings of "end" in Old English are pretty much the same as its core meanings now. It's a word that has remained incredibly consistent in its sense of finality, limits, and objectives for over a thousand years! It hasn't wandered far from its original Germanic roots.
Phrases + Idioms Containing End
At wit's end: Completely perplexed or frustrated.
To make ends meet: To earn just enough money to live on.
The bitter end: The very end, often after much suffering or difficulty.
No end in sight: With no apparent conclusion or termination.
To put an end to something: To stop or terminate something.
To come to an end: To finish or conclude.
The end of the line: The final point, limit, or conclusion of something.
To be at the receiving end of something: To be the person who experiences the negative effects of something.
On the cutting edge: (Using a synonym, 'edge' refers to an end/boundary) Referring to the most advanced or innovative stage.
To the nth degree: (Using a synonym 'degree' can imply an end point of intensity) To the maximum extent possible.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of end from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.