(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English.
1.
The ~ of something such as a period of time, an event, a book, or a film is the last part of it or the final point in it.
The ?5 banknote was first issued at the ~ of the 18th century...
The report is expected by the ~ of the year...
You will have the chance to ask questions at the ~.
N-SING: the N, usu prep N, N of n
2.
When a situation, process, or activity ~s, or when something or someone ~s it, it reaches its final point and stops.
The meeting quickly ~ed and Steve and I left the room...
Talks have resumed to try to ~ the fighting...
VERB: V, V n
~ing
The ~ing of a marriage by death is different in many ways from an ~ing occasioned by divorce.
N-SING: usu the N of n
3.
An ~ to something or the ~ of it is the act or result of stopping it so that it does not continue any longer.
The French government today called for an ~ to the violence...
I was worried she would walk out or bring the interview to an ~...
Francis fined him two weeks’ wages and said: ‘That’s the ~ of the matter.’
N-COUNT: usu sing, oft N to/of n
4.
If you say that someone or something ~s a period of time in a particular way, you are indicating what the final situation was like. You can also say that a period of time ~s in a particular way.
The markets ~ed the week on a quiet note...
The evening ~ed with a dramatic display of fireworks.
VERB: V n prep/adv, V prep, also V n by -ing, V n -ing
5.
If a period of time ~s, it reaches its final point.
Its monthly reports on program trading usually come out about three weeks after each month ~s...
The first figure shows sales for week ~ing July 27.
VERB: V, V
6.
If something such as a book, speech, or performance ~s with a particular thing or the writer or performer ~s it with that thing, its final part consists of the thing mentioned.
His statement ~ed with the words: ‘Pray for me.’...
The book ~s on a lengthy description of Hawaii...
Dawkins ~s his discussion with a call for liberation...
The memo ~s: ‘Please give this matter your most urgent attention.’
VERB: V with/on n, V with/on n, V n with/on n, V with quote
7.
If a situation or event ~s in a particular way, it has that particular result.
The incident could have ~ed in tragedy...
Our conversations ~ed with him saying he would try to be more understanding...
Shares ~ed 1.7 per cent firmer on the Frankfurt exchange.
VERB: V in n, V with n -ing, V adv/adj
8.
The two ~s of something long and narrow are the two points or parts of it that are furthest away from each other.
The company is planning to place surveillance equipment at both ~s of the tunnel...
A typical fluorescent lamp is a tube with metal electrodes at each ~.
N-COUNT: with supp
9.
The ~ of a long, narrow object such as a finger or a pencil is the tip or smallest edge of it, usually the part that is furthest away from you.
He tapped the ~s of his fingers together...
She let the long cone of ash hang at the ~ of her cigarette.
= tip
N-COUNT: usu with supp, oft N of n
10.
If an object ~s with or in a particular thing, it has that thing on its tip or point, or as its last part.
It has three pairs of legs, each ~ing in a large claw.
VERB: V with/in n
11.
A journey, road, or river that ~s at a particular place stops there and goes no further.
The road ~ed at a T-junction...
VERB: V prep/adv, also V
12.
End is used to refer to either of the two extreme points of a scale, or of something that you are considering as a scale.
At the other ~ of the social scale was the grocer, the village’s only merchant...
The agreement has been criticised by extremist groups on both ~s of the political spectrum.
N-COUNT: with supp, oft N of n
13.
The other ~ is one of two places that are connected because people are communicating with each other by telephone or writing, or are travelling from one place to the other.
When he answered the phone, Ferguson was at the other ~...
Make sure to meet them at the other ~.
N-COUNT: supp N
14.
If you refer to a particular ~ of a project or piece of work, you mean a part or aspect of it, for example a part of it that is done by a particular person or in a particular place. (SPOKEN)
You take care of your ~, kid, I’ll take care of mine...
N-COUNT: usu sing, usu supp N
15.
An ~ is the purpose for which something is done or towards which you are working.
The police force is being manipulated for political ~s...
Now the government is trying another policy designed to achieve the same ~.
N-COUNT: usu supp N
16.
If you say that something ~s at a particular point, you mean that it is applied or exists up to that point, and no further.
Helen is also 25 and from Birmingham, but the similarity ~s there...
VERB: V adv/prep
17.
You can refer to someone’s death as their ~, especially when you are talking about the way that they died or might die. (LITERARY)
Soon after we had spoken to this man he had met a violent ~.
N-COUNT: usu sing, usu supp N
18.
If you ~ by doing something or ~ in a particular state, you do that thing or get into that state even though you did not originally int~ to.
They ~ed by making themselves miserable...
They’ll probably ~ back on the streets.
VERB: V by -ing, V adv/prep
19.
If someone ~s it all, they kill themselves.
He grew suicidal, thinking up ways to ~ it all.
PHRASE: V inflects
20.
If you describe something as, for example, the deal to ~ all deals or the film to ~ all films, you mean that it is very important or successful, and that compared to it all other deals or films seem second-rate.
It was going to be a party to ~ all parties.
PHRASE: n PHR n
21.
If something is at an ~, it has finished and will not continue.
The recession is definitely at an ~.
PHRASE: v-link PHR
22.
If something comes to an ~, it stops.
The cold war came to an ~.
PHRASE: V inflects
23.
You say at the ~ of the day when you are talking about what happens after a long series of events or what appears to be the case after you have considered the relevant facts. (INFORMAL)
At the ~ of the day it’s up to the Germans to decide...
PHRASE: PHR with cl
24.
If you are thrown in at the deep ~, you are put in a completely new situation without any help or preparation. If you jump in at the deep ~, you go into a completely new situation without any help or preparation. (mainly BRIT)
It’s a superb job. You get thrown in at the deep ~ and it’s all down to you...
PHRASE: V inflects
25.
You say in the ~ when you are saying what is the final result of a series of events, or what is your final conclusion after considering all the relevant facts.
I toyed with the idea of calling the police, but in the ~ I didn’t...
PHRASE: PHR with cl
26.
If you consider something to be an ~ in itself, you do it because it seems desirable and not because it is likely to lead to something else.
While he had originally traveled in order to study, traveling had become an ~ in itself.
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR
27.
If you find it difficult to make ~s meet, you can only just manage financially because you hardly have enough money for the things you need.
With Betty’s salary they barely made ~s meet.
PHRASE: make inflects
28.
No ~ means a lot. (INFORMAL)
Teachers inform me that Tracey’s behaviour has improved no ~.
PHRASE: PHR after v, oft PHR of n
29.
When something happens for hours, days, weeks, or years on ~, it happens continuously and without stopping for the amount of time that is mentioned.
He is a wonderful companion and we can talk for hours on ~...
PHRASE: pl-n PHR
30.
Something that is on ~ is upright, instead of in its normal or natural position, for example lying down, flat, or on its longest side.
PHRASE: PHR after v
31.
To put an ~ to something means to cause it to stop.
Only a political solution could put an ~ to the violence.
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n
32.
If a process or person has reached the ~ of the road, they are unable to progress any further.
Given the results of the vote, is this the ~ of the road for the hardliners in Congress?
PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR for n
33.
If you say that something bad is not the ~ of the world, you are trying to stop yourself or someone else being so upset by it, by suggesting that it is not the worst thing that could happen.
Obviously I’d be disappointed if we don’t make it, but it wouldn’t be the ~ of the world.
PHRASE: V inflects, oft it v-link PHR if
34.
the ~ of your tether: see tether
to burn the candle at both ~s: see candle
to make your hair stand on ~: see hair
a means to an ~: see means
to be on the receiving ~: see receive
to get the wrong ~ of the stick: see stick
to be at your wits’ ~: see wit