1.a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance);
the boat had a metallic finish
2.designated event that concludes a contest (especially a race);
excitement grew as the finish neared
3.the act of finishing;
his best finish in a major tournament was third
4.the place designated as the end (as of a race or journey);
a crowd assembled at the finish
5.the temporal end; the concluding time;
the stopping point of each round was signaled by a bell
6.(wine tasting) the taste of a wine on the back of the tongue (as it is swallowed);
the wine has a nutty flavor and a pleasant finish
7.event whose occurrence ends something;
his death marked the ending of an era
8.the downfall of someone (as of persons on one side of a conflict);
booze will be the finish of him
9.a highly developed state of perfection; having a flawless or impeccable quality;
they performed with great polish
1.come or bring to a finish or an end;
He finished the dishes
2.finally be or do something;
He ended up marrying his high school sweetheart
3.have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical;
the bronchioles terminate in a capillary bed
4.provide with a finish;
The carpenter finished the table beautifully
5.finish eating all the food on one's plate or on the table;
She polished off the remaining potatoes
6.cause to finish a relationship with somebody;
That finished me with Mary