to finish off
31
2.5
- phrasal verb
- /ˈfɪnɪʃ ɔf/
:
terminar
- To finish off the project successfully, the team worked late into the night to meet the deadline.
- finish off the last
- finish off the season
- finish off a comeback
They play some good stuff, but they just couldn't finish chances off this week.
- They play some good stuff, but they just couldn't finish chances off this week.
- Well, I think you could finish this off.
- You've got a bit to finish off.
Examples
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So we can just give that a bit of a sand and finish it off and we should be good to go.
-
"Today was a great way to finish off the racing portion of my season."
Blog text (11) -
Anyway, to finish off that story, which is that was one of our best days.
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Now for a couple things just to finish off before I go to sleep that are unique to me.
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Let's just finish it off with a top coat.
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OK so I'm going to finish off the rest of my eyes with cosmic Pearl.
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And then as always, I like to finish my eye makeup off by adding more bottom mascara.
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Washington Square - Day: Virgil, taking in the sun, finishing off the last of his sandwich.
Fiction book (1999) -
I should go home and make a salad and finish off that leftover grilled chicken.
Blog text (8) -
"I've been very happy for our seniors to finish the season off with a win," said Callahan.
Blog text (5)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
To stop something or make it finish
∞
1.0
To bring something to an end or complete it
∞
1.0
To finish something or make it whole
226
3.0
Finish an activity or task
190
2.0
To complete an activity or task
134
2.8
To finish a task you need to do
128
3.3
To finish a difficult or long task
94
2.4
To finish a task well and quickly
74
3.8
Complete the last details to make something ready
19
3.9
Finish a project, account, or process
17
3.7
Bring an activity or meeting to an end
12
2.6
To finish tasks completely so nothing is left
11
4.0
To complete something by adding the final touches
7
3.7
Finish something with a special final action like a show or speech
4
3.8
To finish something quickly and easily, for example a meal or a task
1
3.3
To finish the last parts of a job
To finish something in a very impressive way
Finish something completely so no more work is needed
Antonyms
How Complete
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to consume, use up, or bring to an end' is directly derivable from 'finish' (to bring to completion) combined with the particle 'off', which here intensifies completion or consumption — a common verb+particle compositional pattern. This construction is cross-linguistically familiar and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents would likely infer this sense (noting that a secondary idiomatic sense 'to kill' exists in other contexts).
Etymology
Finish off comes from the image of taking the last task 'off' your list. Imagine crossing out the final item — that's why it means 'to complete the last part of a task'.