end up

end up

1. To reach some conclusion, state, or situation due to a particular course of action. Thanks to that traffic jam, I ended up being late to the meeting. Sara has always loved to read so I'm not surprised that she ended up an English major. I really think that you and your high school sweetheart will end up together.

2. To take some course of action, perhaps reluctantly. Thanks to bad weather, we ended up leaving our beach house ahead of schedule. My date got sick, so I ended up going to the prom with my neighbor. I ended up having to write the whole thing out by hand after my computer died.

3. To conclude something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "end" and "up." Well, I'd say that big fight pretty much ends up our family dinner. While graduation ends up the high school experience for most seniors, there are always an unlucky few who have to stay behind an extra year. A win tonight would end this playoff series up and allow the home team to move on to the next round.

4. To reach a particular location, often unintentionally. We wanted to go to the beach on Saturday, but because traffic was so bad, we ended up at the mall instead. When my car's engine overheated, I ended up at the mechanic instead of my big job interview. I thought you guys were going grocery shopping. How exactly did you end up at the park?

5. To be with someone, often by default. It seems that we've ended up with the most boring tour guide on the planet. He's seriously putting me to sleep. If you don't start dating more serious guys, you're going to end up with a doofus. A: "How exactly did you end up stuck in an elevator with your ex-boyfriend?" B: "Not by choice, I can tell you that!"

See also: end, up

end up (by) (doing something)

1. To take some course of action, perhaps reluctantly. Thanks to bad weather, we ended up by leaving our beach house ahead of schedule. My date got sick, so I ended up by going to the prom with my neighbor. I ended up having to write the whole thing out by hand after my computer died.

2. To conclude something with a particular action. Well, as usual, our family ended up by having a big fight after Thanksgiving dinner. While most high school seniors end up by graduating, there are always an unlucky few who have to stay behind an extra year. A win tonight would end up this playoff series and allow the home team to move on to the next round.

See also: end, up

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

end something up

to terminate something; to bring something to an end. He ended his vacation up by going to the beach. She ended up her speech with a poem.

See also: end, up

end up

( somewhere ) and wind up( somewhere ) to finish at a certain place. If you don't get straightened out, you'll end up in jail. I fell and hurt myself, and I wound up in the hospital.

See also: end, up

end up

(somewhere) and wind up (somewhere) to finish at a certain place. If you don't get straightened out, you'll end up in jail. I fell and hurt myself, and I wound up in the hospital.

See also: end, up

end up

to come to an end. When will all this end up? I think that the party will have to end up about midnight.

See also: end, up

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

end up

Arrive at, result in, finish. For example, He thought he'd end up living in the city, or We don't know how Nancy will end up. [First half of 1900s] Also see wind up.

See also: end, up

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

end up

v.

1. To bring something to a close: The manager ended up the meeting by thanking us for all of our hard work.

2. To arrive somewhere, especially when not anticipated: We lost our way and ended up downtown. If you end up in our area tonight, feel free to drop in.

3. To arrive in some situation or condition as a result of a course of action: If you keep going outside in this weather without shoes, you'll end up catching a cold.

See also: end, up

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.