finishing touch
24
3.4
- noun
:
toque final
- The artist added a finishing touch to the painting with a few delicate strokes.
- put the finishing touch
- add a finishing touch
Is it just putting the finishing touches on Einstein's masterwork?
- Is it just putting the finishing touches on Einstein's masterwork?
- And then some bracelets just for a finishing touch.
- I'm just tapping in a teeny mount and then for the finishing touch, I'm adding more highlight.
- I was taught this trick by a makeup artist is to spray rose water as the finishing touch.
- And just for the finishing touch, I'm going to wear my diamonds that JJ bought me for Christmas.
- I have been hard at work for the last several weeks trying to put the finishing touches on a new book.
Examples
-
I have been hard at work for the last several weeks trying to put the finishing touches on a new book.
-
Just putting the finishing touches on my essay.
-
But yeah, it just, it really does give a nice finishing touch to the look.
-
And now, for the finishing touch!
-
Trust me, it's the finishing touch.
-
Today, we're putting the finishing touches on our biggest project yet.
-
I just put the finishing touches on them last week.
-
The decorator just put the finishing touches on it yesterday.
-
I'm putting the finishing touches on my masterpiece.
-
Up on a ladder, the boys put on the finishing touches and then hang a new neon sign over the door.
Fiction book (2001)
Synonyms
46
3.0
A small extra detail that makes something look or feel better
1
3.8
A small detail that makes something look beautiful and special
1
4.1
Used for small repairs that make something look better
The final part that completes an achievement or project
How Final
24
3.4
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a final detail or addition that completes or perfects something' is directly derived from combining 'finishing' (finalizing) with 'touch' (a small or subtle addition). This compositional pattern is common and has clear cross-linguistic equivalents, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Finishing touch may come from the image of an artist adding the last small brush stroke or a cook sprinkling one last spice, the finishing touch that makes the work look complete. That's why the phrase means 'a final detail' that makes something 'complete'.