end */*/*/

I UK [end] / US noun [countable]
Word forms "end":
singular end plural ends

Get it right: end:

People often confuse the phrases at the end and in the end.
In the end is similar to finally or eventually. Use it when you are saying what happens finally, after everything has been thought about or discussed:
Wrong: He had promised to share his prize, but at the end he didn't.
Right: He had promised to share his prize, but in the end he didn't. In an ideal world, teenagers would talk openly to their parents who would in the end respect their child's decision.
At the end means in the final part of an event or period of time, and it is mainly used in the pattern at the end of. Remember to say goodbye and thank-you at the end of the interview. The band arrives back in London today, at the end of a 20-day, 19-concert, European tour.

1) the final part of a period of time

at the end of something:

You're going on holiday at the end of this month, aren't you?

by the end of something:

The work should be completed by the end of the year.

the very end:

It was only at the very end of the 19th century that this practice was abolished.

a) the final part of something such as a book, film, or piece of music

You don't really know what it's all about until the end.

b) the time when a situation, event, or series of events stops

Are you going to stay till the end of the game?

This agreement could mean the end of the nuclear threat.

at the end of something:

At the end of the war the government made many promises for a better future.

the end of the world:

Astrologers have been predicting the end of the world ever since the Middle Ages.

an end to something:

We want to put an end to discrimination.

no end in sight to something (= something seems likely to continue):

There is still no end in sight to the slaughter and suffering.

2)

a) the place that is furthest away from the centre of a long area or object

She jumped in the pool at the deep end.

Take hold of both ends of the rope.

at the end of something:

The only door was situated at the end of the corridor.

the far end:

They live at the far end of our street.

b) one of the two halves of the area where a sports game is played

3) [usually plural] formal the reason for a particular action or the result you want to achieve

He could have achieved his ends by peaceful means.

for political/commercial etc ends:

The government manipulates economic data for political ends.

for his/her/their etc own ends:

She used people for her own ends.

4) informal the part that you have in an activity or situation

From our end the situation looks pretty suspicious.

Kate is more involved in the research end of things.

someone's end of the bargain/deal/conversation:

I've kept my end of the bargain (= done what I promised), but he hasn't kept his.

5) one of two places connected by a telephone conversation, letter, or journey

at the other end:

I'll be there to pick you up in the car at the other end.

on the end of something:

They kept me waiting on the end of the line all afternoon.

at this/my end:

It sounds a bit crackly at this end.

6) literary someone's death

a peaceful end

7) used in the names of some districts of cities

I was brought up in the East End of London.

•

the end of the road/line — spoken the moment when someone or something has to stop, for example because they cannot succeed or improve

It looks like the peace process has come to the end of the line.

hours/days/weeks etc on end — used for emphasizing how long something continues

He talks for hours on end about absolutely nothing.

make (both) ends meet — to have just enough money to buy the things that you need

Many students are finding it difficult to make ends meet.

to/until the end of time — for a very long time

- at an end

- at the end of the day

- bring something to an end

- come to an end

- the end justifies the means

- get your end away

- go to the ends of the earth

- in the end

- it's not the end of the world

- keep your end up

- no end

- play both ends against the middle

- stand something on end

- to the ends of the earth

- to this end

See:

beginning, deep I, hair, means, sticky, tether II

II UK [end] / US verb
Word forms "end":
present tense I/you/we/they end he/she/it ends present participle ending past tense ended past participle ended

1)

a) [intransitive] to reach a final point

The marriage ended after only 11 months.

b) used for talking about a road or path

The narrow lane ended abruptly in a farmyard.

2) [transitive] to make something reach its final point

the peace treaty that ended the war

A back injury effectively ended his career seven years ago.

I'd like to end my speech by thanking the people who made this conference possible.

3) [transitive] to reach the final point of a period of time while in a particular place or state

The Dow Jones Index ended the day 15 points up on yesterday's close.

•

the ... to end all ... — the biggest, best, worst etc person or thing of their kind that there has ever been

It was the party to end all parties.

- end it all

- end your days

Phrasal verbs:

- end in

- end up

- end with