terminate
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terminate¹
- /ˈtɜːmɪneɪ̯t/ UK
- /ˈtɝmɪneɪ̯t/ US
Where it comes from
From Middle English terminaten (“to bring to an end; to adjudicate; to end, stop; to border, confine, contain”) from terminat(e) (“bounded”, also used as the past participle of terminaten) + -en (verb-forming suffix), borrowed from Latin terminātus, perfect passive participle of terminō (“to set bounds to, bound, limit, end, close, terminate”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from terminus (“a bound, limit, end”) + -ō (verb-forming suffix); see term, terminus. Doublet of termine, cognate with French terminer.
verb terminates · terminating · terminated
- To end something, especially when left in an incomplete state. to terminate a process before its completion
- To conclude.
- To set or be a limit or boundary to. to terminate a surface by a line
- To form an appropriate end on (a wire, cable, hose, pipe, etc), such as by applying a cable terminal or a hose ferrule. We'll rough them all in before we start terminating any of them.
- To end the employment contract of an employee; to fire, lay off.
- To kill someone or something. The enemy must be terminated by any means possible.
- To end, conclude, or cease; to come to an end. She unlocked the casket which contained her mother's picture, and gazed even more earnestly than usual on that beautiful face; its frank, glad smile was too painful; it seemed an omen of all that could make a joyous and beloved existence; and yet how had her's terminated!
- Of a mode of transport, to end its journey; or, of a railway line, to reach its terminus. This train terminates at the next station.
- To issue or result.
Similar: discontinue, stop, break off, fire, sack
terminate²
- /ˈtɝmɪnət/ US
- /ˈtɜːmɪnət/ UK
Where it comes from
From Middle English terminat(e) (“bounded”, also used as the past participle of terminaten), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix) and Etymology 1 for more.
adjective more terminate · most terminate
- Terminated; limited; bounded; ended.
- Having a definite and clear limit or boundary; having a determinate size, shape or magnitude. Mountains on the Moon cast shadows that are very dark, terminate and more distinct than those cast by mountains on the Earth.
- Expressible in a finite number of terms; (of a decimal) not recurring or infinite. One third is a recurring decimal, but one half is a terminate decimal.
