[a. L. fīnis end.]
1. The Latin word for ‘end,’ formerly, and still occasionally, placed at the end of a book.
Almost universally used in the earlier half of this century; in recent books ‘End’ or ‘The End’ is substituted.
[a. 1400[?]. Chester Pl., xii. Temptation, Finis paginæ duodecimæs.]
c. 1460. Play Sacram., Finis.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., Finis.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., Finis.
1697. Evelyn, Numismata, vii. 255. And now I have but a Word to add before I come to Finis.
1839. Bailey, Festus, Finis.
2. Hence, the conclusion, end, finish; end of life, death.
1682. D[’Urfey], Butler’s Ghost, I. 47.
| Or with that Ornamental Grace, | |
| To deck the Finis of his Face. | |
| Ibid. (1719), Pills (1872), IV. 328. | |
| Under this Stone lies one who writ his Finis. |
1865. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt., IX. XX. x. 169. Next Year, it is calculated by everybody, Friedrich himself hardly excepted (in bad moments), must be the finis of this long agonistic tragedy.
1871. Carlyle, in Mrs. Carlyle’s Lett., III. 200. Fast falling into imbecility and finis, poor man.
1874. Longf., in Life (1891), III. 223. It seems to me better to leave the close a little vague, than to give a tragic ending,—though that may be the proper finis of the book.
3. End in view, ultimate destination. rare.
1850. Carlyle, Latter-d. Pamph., v. (1872), 162. Nothing but private starvation,—which is itself a finis or kind of goal,—can pretend to hinder a British man from prosecuting Literature to the very utmost.
