Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: French
Origin: Latin finalis, from finis 'end'

final

1 adjective
     
fi‧nal1 S1 W1
1 [only before noun] last in a series of actions, events, parts of a story etc:
The final episode will be shown tonight.
students preparing for their final examinations
Stone is filming the final instalment of his Vietnam trilogy.
the final stages in their relationship
They scored in the final minutes of the game.
The final whistle (=blown at the end of a game) was only seconds away when Redknapp equalised.
final demand British English (=the last bill you receive for money you owe before court action is taken against you)
2 [only before noun] being the result at the end of a process:
the quality of the final product
Does anyone know the final score?
final result/outcome
I do not know what the final outcome will be.
3 if a decision, offer, answer etc is final, it cannot or will not be changed:
The judge's decision is final.
final decision/say/approval etc
We can advise the client, but in the end it is he who has the final say.
Is that your final answer?
and that's final! (=used to say forcefully that you will not change your decision)
She's not coming with us, and that's final!
4 [only before noun] happening at or near the end of an event or process:
In the final years of his life, Hervey achieved high office in the church.
5 used to emphasize that the last thing in a series of events is very severe or damaging [= ultimate]
final indignity/humiliation
The vote of no confidence was the final humiliation for a government that had been clinging to office.

➔ in the final analysis

at analysis (4)WORD FOCUS: change WORD FOCUS: change
to change something: alter, adapt, adjust, amend, modify, revise, vary
to change a system or organization: restructure, reorganize, reform
to change something completely: transform, revolutionize
to change facts or information, or change what someone has said: twist, distort, misrepresent
easily changed: flexible, adaptable
impossible to change: fixed, final, irrevocable

➔ See also change
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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