1 A2 informal
To eat or drink the last remaining amount of something.
"We finished off the birthday cake after dinner."
separable
finish off
B1 informal separable transitive
To complete the final part of something, to consume the last of something, or to defeat and destroy someone or something completely.
In plain English
To eat, use, or complete the last bit of something, or to completely defeat someone.
What does "finish off" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To complete the remaining part of a task or piece of work.
"Let me just finish off this paragraph and then we can go."
separable
3 B2 idiomatic informal
To kill, destroy, or utterly defeat someone or something, often as a final act.
"The injury effectively finished off his career as a professional athlete."
separable
Usage tip
The 'consume' sense is very common in food/drink contexts ('finish off the leftovers'). The 'defeat/kill' sense is informal and can sound dramatic. The 'complete' sense is used for tasks or projects. Often adds emphasis that the action is truly final.
Words that pair with "finish off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
meal leftovers project enemy report bottle
How to conjugate "finish off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
finish off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
finishes off
he/she/it
Past simple
finished off
yesterday
Past participle
finished off
have + pp
-ing form
finishing off
continuous
Hear "finish off" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "finish off" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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