different between end vs fall

English

Alternative forms

• ende (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English ende, from Old English ende, from Proto-Germanic *andijaz (compare Dutch einde, German Ende, Norwegian ende, Swedish ände), from Proto-Indo-European *h?entíos (compare Old Irish ét (“end, point”), Latin antiae (“forelock”), Albanian anë (“side”), Ancient Greek ?????? (antíos, “opposite”), Sanskrit ?????? (antya, “last”)), from *h?entíos (“front, forehead”). More at and and anti-.

The verb is from Middle English enden, endien, from Old English endian (“to end, to make an end of, complete, finish, abolish, destroy, come to an end, die”), from Proto-Germanic *andij?n? (“to finish, end”), denominative from *andijaz.

Pronunciation

• enPR: ?nd, IPA^(key): /?nd/
• Rhymes: -?nd

Noun

end (plural ends)

1. The terminal point of something in space or time.
   • 1908, Kenneth Grahame, The Wind in the Willows:

     they followed him... into a sort of a central hall; out of which they could dimly see other long tunnel-like passages branching, passages mysterious and without apparent end.

2. (by extension) The cessation of an effort, activity, state, or motion.

   Is there no end to this madness?

3. (by extension) Death.

   He met a terrible end in the jungle.

   I hope the end comes quickly.

   • c. 1592, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Richard the Third, Act II, scene i:

     Confound your hidden falsehood, and award / Either of you to be the other's end.

   • 1732, Alexander Pope, (epitaph) On Mr. Gay, in Westminster Abbey:

     A safe companion and and easy friend / Unblamed through life, lamented in thy end.

4. The most extreme point of an object, especially one that is longer than it is wide.

   Hold the string at both ends.

   My father always sat at the end of the table.

5. Result.
   • c. 1599, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Act V, scene i:

     O that a man might know / The end of this day's business ere it come!

6. A purpose, goal, or aim.
   • 1675, John Dryden, Aureng-zebe, Act III, scene i:

     But, losing her, the End of Living lose.

   • 1825, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Aids to Reflection in the Formation of a Manly Character, Aphorism VI, page 146:

     When every man is his own end, all things will come to a bad end.

   • 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.21:

     There is a long argument to prove that foreign conquest is not the end of the State, showing that many people took the imperialist view.

7. (cricket) One of the two parts of the ground used as a descriptive name for half of the ground.

8. (American football) The position at the end of either the offensive or defensive line, a tight end, a split end, a defensive end.
   • 1926, F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby, Penguin 2000, page 11:

     Her husband, among various physical accomplishments, had been one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven [...].

9. (curling) A period of play in which each team throws eight rocks, two per player, in alternating fashion.
10. (mathematics) An ideal point of a graph or other complex.
11. That which is left; a remnant; a fragment; a scrap.

    odds and ends

    • c. 1592, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Richard the Third, Act I, scene iii:

      I clothe my naked villainy / With old odd ends stolen out of holy writ, / And seem a saint, when most I play the devil.

12. One of the yarns of the worsted warp in a Brussels carpet.
13. (in the plural, slang, African-American Vernacular) Money.

    Don't give them your ends. You jack that shit!

Usage notes

• Adjectives often used with "end": final, ultimate, deep, happy, etc.

Synonyms

• (final point in space or time): conclusion, limit, terminus, termination
• See also Thesaurus:goal

Antonyms

• (final point of something): beginning, start

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

• ? Japanese: ???

Translations

Verb

end (third-person singular simple present ends, present participle ending, simple past and past participle ended)

1. (intransitive, ergative) to come to an end

2. (transitive) To finish, terminate.

   • And on the seventh day God ended his worke […]

   • c. 1599, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act II, scene iii:

     If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife

   • 1896, A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, XLV, lines 7-8:

     But play the man, stand up and end you, / When your sickness is your soul.

Conjugation

Translations

Derived terms

• ending
• end up
• never-ending
• unending

Anagrams

• DEN, DNE, Den, Den., NDE, NED, Ned, den, edn., ned

Albanian

Etymology 1

From Proto-Albanian *antis/t, from Proto-Indo-European *h?n?t-jes/t (“to plait, weave”).

Verb

end (first-person singular past tense enda, participle endur)

1. (transitive) to weave

   Synonyms: vej, vegjoj

Derived terms

• endem

Etymology 2

Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h?end?-.

Verb

end (first-person singular past tense enda, participle endur)

1. (intransitive) to bloom, blossom
2. (transitive) to flyblow

Derived terms

• endëc

Related terms

• endë

References

Danish

Etymology 1

From Old Norse enn, probably from Proto-Germanic *þan (“then”), like English than, German denn (“than, for”). For the loss of þ-, cf. Old Norse at (“that”) from Proto-Germanic *þat (“that”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n/

Conjunction

end

1. than (in comparisons)

Etymology 2

From Old Norse enn, from Proto-Germanic *andi, from Proto-Indo-European *h?entí.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?n/

Adverb

end

1. still (archaic)

2. (with interrogatives) no matter, ever

3. even (in the modern language only in the combination end ikke "not even")

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??n?/

Verb

end

1. imperative of ende

Dutch

Etymology

From Middle Dutch ende (“end”) with apocope of the final -e.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?nt/
• Hyphenation: end
• Rhymes: -?nt

Noun

end n (plural enden, diminutive endje n)

1. end
2. travel distance
3. a short length of something (such as a stick or a rope)

Synonyms

• einde
• eind

Usage notes

The form end is more informal than both einde and eind and is mainly used colloquially.

Anagrams

• den

Estonian

Pronoun

end

1. partitive singular of ise

Middle English

Etymology 1

From Old English ende.

Noun

end

1. Alternative form of ende

Etymology 2

From Old English endian.

Verb

end

1. Alternative form of enden

Norwegian Bokmål

Verb

end

1. imperative of ende

Norwegian Nynorsk

Verb

end

1. imperative of enda and ende

Vilamovian

Etymology

From Middle High German ende, from Old High German enti.

Pronunciation

Noun

end n

1. end

Antonyms

• ofaong

English

Etymology 1

Verb from Middle English fallen, from Old English feallan (“to fall, fail, decay, die, attack”), from Proto-West Germanic *fallan (“to fall”), from Proto-Germanic *fallan? (“to fall”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)p?l-.

Cognate with West Frisian falle (“to fall”), Low German fallen (“to fall”), Dutch vallen (“to fall”), German fallen (“to fall”), Norwegian Bokmål falle (“to fall”), Norwegian Nynorsk falla (“to fall”), Icelandic falla (“to fall”), Albanian fal (“forgive, pray, salute, greet”), Lithuanian pùlti (“to attack, rush”).

Noun from Middle English fal, fall, falle, from Old English feall, ?efeall (“a falling, fall”), from Proto-Germanic *fall?, *fallaz (“a fall, trap”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)p?l-. Cognate with Dutch val, German Fall, Swedish fall, Icelandic fall.

Sense of "autumn" is by 1660s England as a shortening of Middle English fall of the leaf (1540s), from the falling of leaves during this season. Along with autumn, it mostly replaced the older name harvest as that name began to be associated strictly with the act of harvesting. Compare spring, which began as a shortening of “spring of the leaf”.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: fôl, IPA^(key): /f??l/
• (General American) enPR: fôl, IPA^(key): /f?l/
• (cot–caught merger) enPR: fäl, IPA^(key): /f?l/
• Rhymes: -??l

Verb

fall (third-person singular simple present falls, present participle falling, simple past fell or (in archaic sense only) felled, past participle fallen or (in archaic sense only) felled)

1. (heading, intransitive) To be moved downwards.
   1. To move to a lower position under the effect of gravity.

      • There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.

   2. To come down, to drop or descend.
      • 1920, Herman Cyril McNeile, Bulldog Drummond, Ch.1:

        Her eyes fell on the table, and she advanced into the room wiping her hands on her apron.

   3. To come to the ground deliberately, to prostrate oneself.

   4. To be brought to the ground.
2. (transitive) To move downwards.
   1. (obsolete) To let fall; to drop.
   2. (obsolete) To sink; to depress.

   3. (Britain, US, dialect, archaic) To fell; to cut down.

3. (intransitive) To happen, to change negatively.
   1. (copulative, in idiomatic expressions) To become.

      • At length they stood at the corner from which they had begun, and it had fallen quite dark, and they were no wiser.

   3. To occur (on a certain day of the week, date, or similar); said of an instance of a recurring event such as a holiday or date.

   4. (intransitive) To collapse; to be overthrown or defeated.

   5. (intransitive, formal, euphemistic) To die, especially in battle or by disease.

   6. (intransitive) To become lower (in quantity, pitch, etc.).
      • 1612, John Davies, Discoverie of the True Causes why Ireland was never entirely subdued

        The greatness of these Irish lords suddenly fell and vanished.

      • 1835, Sir John Ross, Sir James Clark Ross, Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …, Vol.1, pp.284-5:

        Towards the following morning, the thermometer fell to 5°; and at daylight, there was not an atom of water to be seen in any direction.
4. (intransitive) To be allotted to; to arrive through chance, fate, or inheritance.
5. (transitive, obsolete) To diminish; to lessen or lower.

   • Upon lessening interest to four per cent, you fall the price of your native commodities.

6. (transitive, obsolete) To bring forth.
7. (intransitive, obsolete) To issue forth into life; to be brought forth; said of the young of certain animals.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

8. (intransitive) To descend in character or reputation; to become degraded; to sink into vice, error, or sin.

   • Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

9. (intransitive) To become ensnared or entrapped; to be worse off than before.

10. (intransitive) To assume a look of shame or disappointment; to become or appear dejected; said of the face.

    • Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

    • I have observed of late thy looks are fallen.

11. (intransitive) To happen; to come to pass; to chance or light (upon).

    • Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall.

    • 1596-97, William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice, Act I Scene 2

      […] An the worst fall that ever fell, I hope I shall make shift to go without him.

    • 1879, Herbert Spenser, Principles of Sociology Volume II – Part IV: Ceremonial Institutions

      Primitive men […] do not make laws, they fall into customs.

12. (intransitive) To begin with haste, ardour, or vehemence; to rush or hurry.
    • 1881, Benjamin Jowett (Thucydides)

      They now no longer doubted, but fell to work heart and soul.

13. (intransitive) To be dropped or uttered carelessly.

14. (intransitive, of a fabric) To hang down (under the influence of gravity).

Quotations

• c. 1591, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of King Richard the third, Andrew Wi?e (publisher, 1598 — second quarto), Act V, Scene 3:

  Ghoa?t [of Clarence]. […] / To morrow in the battaile thinke on me, / And fall thy edgele??e ?word, di?paire and die.

Synonyms

• (move to a lower position under the effect of gravity): drop, plummet, plunge
• (come down): come down, descend, drop
• (come to the ground deliberately): drop, lower oneself, prostrate oneself
• (be brought to the ground):
• (collapse; be overthrown or defeated): be beaten by, be defeated by, be overthrown by, be smitten by, be vanquished by,
• (die): die
• (be allotted to): be the responsibility of, be up to
• (become lower (in quantity, pitch, etc)): dip, drop
• (become): become, get
• (cause (something) to descend to the ground): cut down (of a tree), fell, knock down, knock over, strike down

Antonyms

• (come down): ascend, go up, rise
• (come to the ground deliberately): get up, pick oneself up, stand up
• (collapse; be overthrown or defeated): beat, defeat, overthrow, smite, vanquish
• (become lower (in quantity, pitch, etc)): rise

Coordinate terms

• topple
• tumble

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

Noun

fall (countable and uncountable, plural falls)

1. The act of moving to a lower position under the effect of gravity.
2. A reduction in quantity, pitch, etc.

   • “I'm through with all pawn-games,” I laughed. “Come, let us have a game of lansquenet. Either I will take a farewell fall out of you or you will have your sevenfold revenge”.

3. (chiefly Canada, US, archaic in Britain) The time of the year when the leaves typically fall from the trees; autumn; the season of the year between the autumnal equinox and the winter solstice. [from 16th c.]
4. A loss of greatness or status.

5. That which falls or cascades.
6. (sports) A crucial event or circumstance.
   1. (cricket, of a wicket) The action of a batsman being out.
   2. (curling) A defect in the ice which causes stones thrown into an area to drift in a given direction.
   3. (wrestling) An instance of a wrestler being pinned to the mat.
7. A hairpiece for women consisting of long strands of hair on a woven backing, intended primarily to cover hair loss.
8. (informal, US) Blame or punishment for a failure or misdeed.

9. The part of the rope of a tackle to which the power is applied in hoisting (usu. plural).

10. An old Scots unit of measure equal to six ells.
11. A short, flexible piece of leather forming part of a bullwhip, placed between the thong and the cracker.
12. The lid, on a piano, that covers the keyboard

Synonyms

• (act of moving to a lower position): descent, drop
• (reduction): decrease, dip, drop, lowering, reduction
• (season): autumn, (UK dialect) harvest, (UK dialect) back end
• (loss of greatness or status): downfall
• (blame; punishment): rap

Antonyms

• (act of moving to a lower position under the effect of gravity): ascent, rise
• (reduction): increase, rise
• (loss of greatness or status): ascent, rise

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

See also

• falls

Etymology 2

Perhaps from the north-eastern Scottish pronunciation of whale.

Interjection

fall

1. (nautical) The cry given when a whale is sighted, or harpooned.

Noun

fall (plural falls)

1. (nautical) The chasing of a hunted whale.

Derived terms

• loose fall

Albanian

Etymology

From Turkish fal, from Arabic ?????? (fa?l, “omen”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fa?/

Noun

fall m (indefinite plural falle, definite singular falli, definite plural fallet)

1. fortune telling

Declension

Derived terms

References

Breton

Adjective

fall

1. bad

Catalan

Etymology

From fallir.

Noun

fall m (plural falls)

1. cliff

Related terms

• falla

Further reading

• “fall” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

Faroese

Etymology

From Old Norse fall, from falla (“to fall”). The grammatical sense is a calque of Latin casus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fatl/

Noun

fall n (genitive singular fals, plural føll)

1. fall, drop
2. case (linguistics)

Declension

German

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fal/
• Rhymes: -al

Verb

fall

1. singular imperative of fallen
2. (colloquial) first-person singular present of fallen

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse fall, from falla (“to fall”). The grammatical sense is a calque of Latin casus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fatl/
• Rhymes: -atl

Noun

fall n (genitive singular falls, nominative plural föll)

1. fall, drop
2. (grammar) case
3. (computing, programming) function; (subprogram, usually with formal parameters, returning a data value when called)
4. indefinite accusative singular of fall

Declension

Synonyms

• (function): fallstefja

Derived terms

See also

• falla (verb)

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

fall n (definite singular fallet, indefinite plural fall, definite plural falla or fallene)

1. a fall
2. case

   i fall - in case

   i alle fall - in any case

Derived terms

Related terms

• falle (verb)

Verb

fall

1. imperative of falle

References

• “fall” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /f?l?/

Noun

fall n (definite singular fallet, indefinite plural fall, definite plural falla)

1. a fall
2. case

Derived terms

Verb

fall

1. past tense of falle
2. imperative of falle

References

• “fall” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse fall, from falla (“to fall”). The grammatical sense is a calque of Latin casus.

Pronunciation

Noun

fall n

1. a fall (the act of falling)
2. a fall, loss of greatness or wealth, a bankruptcy
3. a slope, a waterfall, the height of a slope or waterfall

4. a (legal) case

Declension

Related terms

Verb

fall

1. imperative of falla.

References

• fall in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)