from start to finish

22 2.1

For the whole time, from the beginning to the end

idiom

: de principio a fin

The 1998 trial of that case lasted four months from start to finish and remains the longest civil jury trial.
from start to finish process
from start to finish story

How long did it take from start to finish between concept and completion?

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Examples

An expert will do your taxes from start to finish, ensuring your taxes are done right, guaranteed, so you can relax.
And finally, it only takes about 10 or 15 minutes from start to finish.

Blog text (1)
This was my operation from start to finish.

The Building (2009)
I work from start to finish.

The Greatest Show on Earth (1952)
How long did it take from start to finish between concept and completion?

Adam Savage’s Tested
If not, then take a deep breath and write your story again from start to finish.

Academic text (2009)
I'm going to be there for the whole audition, from start to finish.

Midnight in a Toy Shop (1930)
It took me six weeks from start to finish to do that entire thing, and every page was an adventure.

The New Mutants (2020)
Using recyclable materials, Tinkertoys, and LEGOs, the students are able to follow the design process from start to finish.

Academic text (2012)
The construction project lasted from start to finish about six months.

Synonyms

all the way

vsfrom start to finish

∞ 1.8

Completely from the start to the finish

focuses specifically on the whole time from beginning to end

end-to-end

vsfrom start to finish

1 4.6

For the whole time from the start to the finish

is used for the whole time from beginning to end in general

from soup to nuts

vsfrom start to finish

Informal

1 7.4

Including everything from the beginning to the end

refers just to the whole time period from beginning to end

Antonyms

intermittently

15 6.0

In a way that stops and starts at irregular times

How Long

from start to finish

22 2.1

for a while

∞ 1.0

briefly

414 1.0

Surface Forms

from start to finish positive

from-start-to-finish positive

Morphology

from + start + to + finish

The meaning is fully compositional: 'from' indicates the starting point, 'start' and 'finish' are the clear endpoints, and 'to' links them as a range, so 'for the whole time' follows directly from the constituents. This range/extent pattern is common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the component words will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

From start to finish gives a clear picture: someone watching or doing something from the start all the way to the finish. So it means 'for the whole time', from the beginning to the end.