finish
n. countablen. the end of a race, a task, or a story. It can also mean the way the surface of something feels, like how smooth a table is.
n. the end or concluding stage of an event, process, or activity. Also refers to the surface texture or appearance of a manufactured object.
The runners are approaching the finish now.
The race had a very close finish, with the top three runners crossing the line at almost the same time.
While the plot of the novel was engaging, many critics felt the finish was rushed and failed to resolve the central conflict effectively.
From Middle English finishen, finisshen, finischen, from Old French finiss-, stem of some of the conjugated forms of finir, from Latin fīnīre, from fīnis (“end, limit, border, boundary”), possibly from Proto-Indo-European dʰeygʷ- (“to stick, set up”) or from Proto-Indo-European bʰeyd- (“to split”).
Often used in the phrase 'from start to finish'. When referring to surface texture, it is usually singular.