I. com ‧ plete 1 S2 W1 /kəmˈpliːt/ BrE AmE adjective
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ completion , ↑ incompleteness ; verb : ↑ complete ; adverb : ↑ completely ≠ ↑ incompletely ; adjective : ↑ complete ≠ ↑ incomplete ]
[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: complet , from Latin , past participle of complere 'to fill up' , from com- ( ⇨ COM- ) + plere 'to fill' ]
1 . [usually before noun] used to emphasize that a quality or situation is as great as it could possibly be SYN total :
The police were in complete control of the situation.
Their engagement came as a complete surprise to me.
This is a complete waste of time.
a complete fool/idiot etc
Meg realized she’d been a complete fool.
a complete stranger
The darkness was almost complete.
2 . including all parts, details, facts etc and with nothing missing SYN whole OPP incomplete :
a complete set of china
The list below is not complete.
the complete works of Shakespeare (=a book, CD etc containing everything Shakespeare wrote)
3 . [not before noun] finished OPP incomplete :
Work on the new building is nearly complete.
4 . complete with something having particular equipment or features:
The house comes complete with swimming pool and sauna.
—completeness noun [uncountable] :
For the sake of completeness I should mention one further argument.
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THESAURUS
▪ finished if something is finished, you have done all of it:
She showed him the finished drawing.
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I was very pleased with the finished result.
▪ done [not before noun] finished - used especially in everyday English instead of finished :
I can’t come out till my essay’s done.
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They promised the work would be done by April.
▪ complete [not before noun] completely finished – used especially to emphasize that there is no more work to do:
Six months later the job was complete.
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The first stage of the project is now complete.
▪ over finished – used about an event, activity, or period of time:
Football practice is over at 4:30. Can you pick me up then?
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The summer was nearly over.
▪ be through informal to have finished doing something or using something:
I probably won’t be through till about 6 o'clock.
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Are you through with those scissors?
II. complete 2 S2 W1 BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Word Family: noun : ↑ completion , ↑ incompleteness ; verb : ↑ complete ; adverb : ↑ completely ≠ ↑ incompletely ; adjective : ↑ complete ≠ ↑ incomplete ]
1 . to finish doing or making something, especially when it has taken a long time:
Students must complete the course.
The building took two years to complete.
2 . to make something whole or perfect by adding what is missing:
The child’s task was to complete the sentences.
I need one more stamp to complete the set.
3 . to write the information that is needed on a form SYN fill out :
In all, more than 650 people completed the questionnaire.
Send your completed form to the following address.
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THESAURUS
▪ finish to complete the last part of something that you are doing:
Have you finished your homework?
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The builders say they should have finished by Friday.
▪ complete to finish making or doing something that has taken a long time to finish:
The new bridge will be completed in two years’ time.
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She has just completed her PhD.
▪ finalize to do the last things that are necessary in order to settle a plan or agreement in a satisfactory way:
A spokesman said that they were hoping to finalize an agreement in the near future.
▪ conclude formal to officially finish something:
The police have now concluded their investigations.
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Ralph Ellis, Managing Director, concluded the conference with a review of the trading year.
▪ wrap something up informal to finish something successfully – used especially about agreements or sports competitions:
Negotiators are meeting on Friday to wrap up the deal.
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Liverpool had several chances to wrap up the game.
▪ round something off British English , round something out American English to do something as a way of ending a day, an evening, an event etc in an enjoyable or suitable way:
They rounded off the day with a barbecue at the beach.
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A concert in the park is being organized to round off the programme of events.
▪ get it over with/get it over and done with to do something that you have to do now, so that it is finished and you can stop worrying about it:
Let’s go and do the shopping now and get it over with.
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Just tell him how you feel and get it over and done with.
▪ be done/be through informal if you are done, you have finished – used especially when other people are waiting for you:
We’re nearly done.
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We should be through in half an hour.
▪ be through with something/be done with something informal to have finished using something – used especially when other people are waiting to use it:
I’m done with the file.
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I’ll let you know when I’m through with it.
▪ tie up the loose ends to finish dealing with the final details of something, so that is all finished:
‘Is the talk ready?’ ‘I just need to tie up a few loose ends.’