To finish means to complete something or bring it to an end. When you finish your homework, you've done all the problems and closed your books. When a runner finishes a race, they've crossed the final line. When you finish reading a novel, you've reached the last page and discovered how the story turns out.

The word can describe both the act of completing something and the final result itself. A carpenter might apply a smooth finish to a wooden table, meaning the final surface treatment that protects and beautifies the wood. In a competition, your finish is where you end up: first place, third place, or anywhere in the pack.

Sometimes people use finish to mean doing something thoroughly and well, completing it with care and attention. A teacher might remind students to “finish your work carefully” because rushing through the last problems can introduce mistakes.

Finish can also describe consuming all of something: you might finish your dinner or finish off the last cookie in the jar.