terminate Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb bring to an end or halt
    end.
    • She ended their friendship when she found out that he had once been convicted of a crime
    • The attack on Poland terminated the relatively peaceful period after WW I
  2. verb have an end, in a temporal, spatial, or quantitative sense; either spatial or metaphorical
    stop; cease; finish; end.
    • the bronchioles terminate in a capillary bed
    • Your rights stop where you infringe upon the rights of other
    • My property ends by the bushes
    • The symphony ends in a pianissimo
  3. verb be the end of; be the last or concluding part of
    end.
    • This sad scene ended the movie
  4. verb terminate the employment of; discharge from an office or position
    give the axe; send away; give the sack; fire; dismiss; displace; sack; give notice; force out; can.
    • The boss fired his secretary today
    • The company terminated 25% of its workers

WordNet

Ter"mi*nate transitive verb
Etymology
L. terminatus, p.p. of terminare. See Term.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Terminated ; present participle & verbal noun Terminating
Definitions
  1. To set a term or limit to; to form the extreme point or side of; to bound; to limit; as, to terminate a surface by a line.
  2. To put an end to; to make to cease; as, to terminate an effort, or a controversy.
  3. Hence, to put the finishing touch to; to bring to completion; to perfect.
    During this interval of calm and prosperity, he [Michael Angelo] terminated two figures of slaves, destined for the tomb, in an incomparable style of art. J. S. Harford.
Ter"mi*nate intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To be limited in space by a point, line, or surface; to stop short; to end; to cease; as, the torrid zone terminates at the tropics.
  2. To come to a limit in time; to end; to close.
    The wisdom of this world, its designs and efficacy, terminate on zhis side heaven. South.

Webster 1913