acabar

v.

1 to finish, to end.

hemos acabado el trabajo we've finished the work

acabó sus días en el exilio he ended his days in exile

el asunto acabó mal the affair finished o ended badly

acabar bien to have a happy ending (película)

cuando acabes, avísame tell me when you've finished

acabar de trabajar/comer to finish working/eating

el cuchillo acaba en punta the knife ends in a point

¡acabáramos! (informal) at last!, about time!

La película acabó The film finished.

Ya terminé I already finished

Acabé mi trabajo I finished my job.

2 to end up (tener un fin determinado).

acabar loco to end up (going) mad

ese acabará en la cárcel he'll end up in jail

Acabé muy cansado I ended up exhausted.

Ella acabó cantando en un club nocturno She ended up singing in a nightclub.

3 to finish with, to destroy, to be someone's ruin, to cause someone's ruin.

La mafia acabó con Ricardo The Mafia finished with Richard.

4 to tire out.

El esfuerzo lo acabó The effort tired him out.

5 to have an orgasm, to come.

María acabó al hacer el amor Mary had an orgasm when making love.

* * *

acabar

► verbo transitivo

1 (gen) to finish, finish off; (completar) to complete

■ he acabado el trabajo I've finished the work

2 (consumir) to use up

■ acabaron las provisiones they used up their supplies

► verbo intransitivo

1 (gen) to finish, end; (pareja) to split up

■ la película acaba con la muerte del rey the film ends with the death of the king

■ acaba en punta it has a pointed end

■ Pilar y Juan han acabado Pilar and Juan have split up

2 acabar por + gerundio to end up + -ing

■ acabé por comprar el vestido I ended up buying the dress

► verbo pronominal acabarse

1 to end, finish, come to an end (no quedar) to run out

■ el partido se acabó con empate a dos goles the match ended in a two-all draw

■ se acabó la fiesta the party's over

■ se le acaba el contrato el mes que viene his contract runs out next month

■ se nos ha acabado el butano we've run out of butane

\

FRASEOLOGÍA

acabar bien to have a happy ending

acabar con (destruir) to destroy, put an end to 2 (terminar) to finish, finish off

■ la revolución acabó con los privilegios de los aristócratas the revolution put an end to the privileges of the aristocrats

■ la caída de la bolsa acabó con su fortuna the stock market crash ruined him

■ ¡este chico acabará conmigo! this boy will be the death of me!

acabar de + inf to have just + past participle

■ no lo toques, acabo de pintarlo ahora mismo don't touch it, I've just painted it

acabar mal (cosa) to end badly 2 (persona) to come to a bad end

■ como sigas así acabarás mal if you carry on like that you'll come to a bad end

¡acabáramos! familiar at last!

no acabar de ...

■ el autobús no acaba de venir the bus still hasn't come

■ este queso no acaba de gustarme I don't really like this cheese

¡se acabó! that's it!

* * *

verb

to finish, complete, end

- acabarse

- acabar de

* * *

1. VT

1) (=terminar) [+ actividad, trabajo] [gen] to finish; (=dar el toque final a) to finish off

¿habéis acabado la instalación de la antena? — have you finished installing the aerial?

me falta poco para acabar el jersey — I've nearly finished the jumper

me quedan solo un par de horas para acabar este cuadro — it'll only take me another couple of hours to finish off this painting

acabó sus días en prisión — he ended his days in prison

2) (=consumir) to finish

ya hemos acabado el aceite — we've used up o finished the oil

cuando acabe esta cerveza me voy — when I've finished this beer I'm going

3) LAm (=hablar mal de)

acabar a algn — to speak ill of sb

2. VI

1) (=terminar) to finish, end

¿te falta mucho para acabar? — are you nearly finished?, have you got long to go?

la crisis lleva años y no acaba — the recession has been going on for years and there's no sign of it ending

es cosa de nunca acabar — there's no end to it

acabáramos —

acabáramos, ¿así que se trata de tu hijo? — oh, I see, so it's your son, then?

cuento I, 1), rosario 1)

2)

• acabar con —

a) [+ comida] to finish off; [+ injusticia] to put an end to, stop; [+ relación] to end; [+ reservas] to exhaust, use up; [+ esperanzas] to put paid to

acabaron con la tarta en un minuto — they finished off the cake within a minute

¿todavía no has acabado con la carta? — haven't you finished the letter yet?

hay que acabar con tanto desorden — we must put an end to all this confusion

hemos acabado con todas las provisiones — we've exhausted o used up all our supplies

b) [+ persona] (=atender) to finish with; (=matar) to do away with

cuando acabe con ella, te lavo la cabeza — when I'm done o finished with her, I'll wash your hair

¡acabemos con él! — let's do away with him! *

esto acabará conmigo — this will be the end of me

3)

• acabar de hacer algo —

a) [cuando se ha terminado]

acabo de llamarla por teléfono — I have just phoned her

acababa de entrar cuando sonó el teléfono — I had just come in when the phone rang

b) [cuando se está haciendo]

cuando acabemos de pagarlo — when we finish paying for it

para acabar de arreglarlo —

para acabar de arreglarlo, se fue sin despedirse — on top of everything, she left without even saying goodbye

- ¡acaba de parir!

c)

• no acabo de entender por qué lo hizo — I just can't understand why she did it

no acabo de entender este concepto — I just can't seem to understand this concept

ese candidato no me acaba de convencer — I'm not too sure about that candidate

4) [con complemento de modo]

la película acaba bien — the film has a happy ending

su relación acabó mal — their relationship came to an unhappy end

si sigues así vas a acabar mal — if you carry on like that you'll come to a sticky end

acabé harto de tantas fiestas — I ended up getting fed up of all those parties

la palabra acaba con o por "z" — the word ends in a "z"

• acabar en algo — to end in sth

espero que no acabe en tragedia — I hope it won't end in tragedy

el palo acaba en punta — the stick ends in a point

unos zapatos que acaban en punta — a pair of pointed shoes

la fiesta acabó en un baile — the party ended with everyone dancing

después de tanto hablar, todo acabó en nada — after all that talk, it all came to nothing

5)

• acabar haciendo algo, acabar por hacer algo — to end up doing sth

acabó aceptándolo — he ended up accepting it

6) [en una relación] to finish, split up

hemos acabado — we've finished, we've split up

¿cuánto hace que acabaste con ella? — how long is it since you split up with o finished with her?

7) LAm *** (=eyacular) to come ***

3.

See:

acabarse

* * *

1.

verbo intransitivo

Sentido I

1)

a) reunión/película to finish, end; persona to finish; novios to split up

ya casi acabo — I've nearly finished

acabáramos! — (fam) now I get it! (colloq)

b) (en un estado, situación) to end up

¿cómo acabó lo de anoche? — how did things end up last night?

acabó en la cárcel — he ended up in jail; (+ compl)

acabamos cansadísimos — by the end we were exhausted

tanta historia para acabar en nada — all that fuss for nothing

ese chico va a acabar mal — that boy will come to no good

esto puede acabar mal — things could turn nasty o get ugly

la película acabó bien — the movie had a happy ending

acabar + ger o acabar por + inf — to end up -ing

acabarán aceptándolo o por aceptarlo — they'll end up accepting it

acabé por convencerme de que ... — in the end I became convinced that ...

acabar de algo — to end up as something

acabó de camarero — he ended up (working) as a waiter

c) (rematar)

acabar en algo — to end in something

la palabra acaba en vocal — the word ends in a vowel

Sentido II

2) acabar con

a)

acabar con algo — (terminar) con libro/tarea to finish with something; con bombones/bebidas to finish off something; con salud/carrera to ruin something; con sueldo/herencia to fritter away something; con abuso/problema to put an end to something

estás acabando con mi paciencia — you're trying my patience

b) (fam)

acabar con alguien — (pelearse) to finish with somebody; (matar) to do away with somebody (colloq)

este niño va a acabar conmigo — this child will be the death of me

Sentido III

3) acabar de

a) (terminar)

acabar de + inf — to finish -ing

cuando acabes de leerlo — when you've finished reading it

para acabar de arreglarlo se puso a llover — to top o cap it all it started to rain

b) (para referirse a acción reciente)

acabar de + inf: acaba de salir she's just gone out; acababa de meterme en la cama cuando ... — I had just got into bed when ...

c) (llegar a)

acabar de + inf: no acabo de entenderlo I just don't understand; no acababa de gustarle/convencerla — she wasn't totally happy about it/totally convinced

2.

acabar vt

1) <trabajo/libro> to finish; <curso/carrera> to finish, complete

2) (destrozar)

el esfuerzo lo acabó — he was exhausted by the effort

la tragedia la acabó — the tragedy destroyed her

3.

acabarse v pron

1) (terminarse) provisiones/comida to run out; problema to be over; reunión/fiesta to end

se nos acabó el café — we ran out of coffee

se le acabaron las fuerzas — he ran out of energy

se me está acabando la paciencia — I'm running out of patience

es un trabajo que no se acaba nunca — it's a never-ending o an endless task

esto se acabó! — that's it!

y (san) se acabó — (fam) and that's that

2)

a) (liter) (morir)

se fue acabando poco a poco — her life's breath slowly ebbed away (liter)

b) (Méx) (quedar destrozado)

se acabó en ese trabajo — that job finished him off (colloq)

3) (enf) (comer) to finish (up)

* * *

= end, end up, see through + to its completion, finish up, finish, wind up (in/at), curtain + fall, call it quits, lay + Nombre + to rest, wrap up, break up, finish off, top + Nombre + off, be over.

Ex. Each field also ends with a special delimiter, which signals the end of the fields.

Ex. But if you have a certain feeling about language, then language ends up becoming very, very important.

Ex. I would like to thank all those who at various times throughout the course of the project assisted so ably in seeing the work through to its completion.

Ex. In trying to get the best of both worlds, we may have finished up with the worst.

Ex. Activities can be plotted to allow the librarian to determine the most expeditious route that can be taken to finish the event.

Ex. Besides, winding up in an exclusive arrangement with a distributor that has rotten customer service ruins any advantage.

Ex. The third act is of course the denouement, when everything is made clear, all the loose ends are tied up, and the curtain falls.

Ex. 'Professional people don't live by the clock: you wouldn't tell a doctor or a lawyer that he couldn't make a decision to call it quits on a particular day'.

Ex. A New Orleans style funeral provided a humorous backdrop for library staff to relive the tragedies and successes of the old system as it was laid to rest.

Ex. The article is entitled 'ACRL wraps up year 1 of Academic Library Statistics Project'.

Ex. Tom Hernandez tried not to show how sad he felt about his friends' leaving, and managed to keep up a cheerful facade until the party broke up.

Ex. His statement is a serious threat to the cooperative sector and was aimed at finishing off the movement.

Ex. Top it off with spicy yacamole and it's worth the nosh.

Ex. Alternatively, the loan policy may be changed to make documents due when the vacation is over.

----

* acabar cargando con Algo = wind up with + Nombre.

* acabar con = put + paid to, quell, put to + rest, snuff out, stamp out, kill off, eat + Posesivo + way through.

* acabar con Algo = be done with it.

* acabar con el sufrimiento de Alguien = put + Nombre + out of + Posesivo + misery.

* acabar con la paciencia de Alguien = try + Nombre + patience.

* acabar con la paciencia de un santo = test + the patience of a saint, try + the patience of a saint.

* acabar con mejor cara = end up on + a high note.

* acabar con una nota de optimismo = end + Nombre + on a high (note).

* acabar con un broche de oro = end + Nombre + on a high (note).

* acabar de forma positiva = end + Nombre + on a high (note).

* acabar de + Infinitivo = have + just + Participio Pasado.

* acabar de salir de = be fresh out of.

* acabar de trabajar = clock off + work.

* acabar en = result (in), land in.

* acabar mal = come to + a bad end.

* acabar mejor de lo que + empezar = end up on + a high note.

* acabar paulatinamente = wind + Nombre + down.

* acabar + Posesivo + días en = end up + Posesivo + days in.

* acabar + Posesivo + vida útil = run towards + the end of + Posesivo + useful life.

* acabar repentinamente = come to + a swift end, come to + an abrupt end.

* acabarse = draw to + a close, peter out, run out, be gone, come to + an end, run out of, draw to + an end, wind down, be all gone.

* acabarse el entusiasmo = run out of + steam.

* acabarse el espacio = run out of + space.

* acabarse el tiempo = time + run out, time + be + up.

* acabarse la buena racha = the good times + run out.

* acabarse la (buena) suerte = run out of + luck, luck + run out.

* acabar teniendo = end up with.

* como si se acabara el mundo = like there's no tomorrow.

* como si se fuese a acabar el mundo = like there's no tomorrow.

* empezar a acabarse = run + low (on).

* estar acabando con = eat away at.

* estar acabándose = be on the way out, be on + Posesivo + last legs.

* nada se acaba hasta que no se acaba = nothing is done until it's done.

* ¡se te acabó el cuento! = the jig's up!.

* sin acabar = unfinished.

* tumulto + acabar = tumult + die.

* * *

1.

verbo intransitivo

Sentido I

1)

a) reunión/película to finish, end; persona to finish; novios to split up

ya casi acabo — I've nearly finished

acabáramos! — (fam) now I get it! (colloq)

b) (en un estado, situación) to end up

¿cómo acabó lo de anoche? — how did things end up last night?

acabó en la cárcel — he ended up in jail; (+ compl)

acabamos cansadísimos — by the end we were exhausted

tanta historia para acabar en nada — all that fuss for nothing

ese chico va a acabar mal — that boy will come to no good

esto puede acabar mal — things could turn nasty o get ugly

la película acabó bien — the movie had a happy ending

acabar + ger o acabar por + inf — to end up -ing

acabarán aceptándolo o por aceptarlo — they'll end up accepting it

acabé por convencerme de que ... — in the end I became convinced that ...

acabar de algo — to end up as something

acabó de camarero — he ended up (working) as a waiter

c) (rematar)

acabar en algo — to end in something

la palabra acaba en vocal — the word ends in a vowel

Sentido II

2) acabar con

a)

acabar con algo — (terminar) con libro/tarea to finish with something; con bombones/bebidas to finish off something; con salud/carrera to ruin something; con sueldo/herencia to fritter away something; con abuso/problema to put an end to something

estás acabando con mi paciencia — you're trying my patience

b) (fam)

acabar con alguien — (pelearse) to finish with somebody; (matar) to do away with somebody (colloq)

este niño va a acabar conmigo — this child will be the death of me

Sentido III

3) acabar de

a) (terminar)

acabar de + inf — to finish -ing

cuando acabes de leerlo — when you've finished reading it

para acabar de arreglarlo se puso a llover — to top o cap it all it started to rain

b) (para referirse a acción reciente)

acabar de + inf: acaba de salir she's just gone out; acababa de meterme en la cama cuando ... — I had just got into bed when ...

c) (llegar a)

acabar de + inf: no acabo de entenderlo I just don't understand; no acababa de gustarle/convencerla — she wasn't totally happy about it/totally convinced

2.

acabar vt

1) <trabajo/libro> to finish; <curso/carrera> to finish, complete

2) (destrozar)

el esfuerzo lo acabó — he was exhausted by the effort

la tragedia la acabó — the tragedy destroyed her

3.

acabarse v pron

1) (terminarse) provisiones/comida to run out; problema to be over; reunión/fiesta to end

se nos acabó el café — we ran out of coffee

se le acabaron las fuerzas — he ran out of energy

se me está acabando la paciencia — I'm running out of patience

es un trabajo que no se acaba nunca — it's a never-ending o an endless task

esto se acabó! — that's it!

y (san) se acabó — (fam) and that's that

2)

a) (liter) (morir)

se fue acabando poco a poco — her life's breath slowly ebbed away (liter)

b) (Méx) (quedar destrozado)

se acabó en ese trabajo — that job finished him off (colloq)

3) (enf) (comer) to finish (up)

* * *

= end, end up, see through + to its completion, finish up, finish, wind up (in/at), curtain + fall, call it quits, lay + Nombre + to rest, wrap up, break up, finish off, top + Nombre + off, be over.

Ex: Each field also ends with a special delimiter, which signals the end of the fields.

Ex: But if you have a certain feeling about language, then language ends up becoming very, very important.

Ex: I would like to thank all those who at various times throughout the course of the project assisted so ably in seeing the work through to its completion.

Ex: In trying to get the best of both worlds, we may have finished up with the worst.

Ex: Activities can be plotted to allow the librarian to determine the most expeditious route that can be taken to finish the event.

Ex: Besides, winding up in an exclusive arrangement with a distributor that has rotten customer service ruins any advantage.

Ex: The third act is of course the denouement, when everything is made clear, all the loose ends are tied up, and the curtain falls.

Ex: 'Professional people don't live by the clock: you wouldn't tell a doctor or a lawyer that he couldn't make a decision to call it quits on a particular day'.

Ex: A New Orleans style funeral provided a humorous backdrop for library staff to relive the tragedies and successes of the old system as it was laid to rest.

Ex: The article is entitled 'ACRL wraps up year 1 of Academic Library Statistics Project'.

Ex: Tom Hernandez tried not to show how sad he felt about his friends' leaving, and managed to keep up a cheerful facade until the party broke up.

Ex: His statement is a serious threat to the cooperative sector and was aimed at finishing off the movement.

Ex: Top it off with spicy yacamole and it's worth the nosh.

Ex: Alternatively, the loan policy may be changed to make documents due when the vacation is over.

* acabar cargando con Algo = wind up with + Nombre.

* acabar con = put + paid to, quell, put to + rest, snuff out, stamp out, kill off, eat + Posesivo + way through.

* acabar con Algo = be done with it.

* acabar con el sufrimiento de Alguien = put + Nombre + out of + Posesivo + misery.

* acabar con la paciencia de Alguien = try + Nombre + patience.

* acabar con la paciencia de un santo = test + the patience of a saint, try + the patience of a saint.

* acabar con mejor cara = end up on + a high note.

* acabar con una nota de optimismo = end + Nombre + on a high (note).

* acabar con un broche de oro = end + Nombre + on a high (note).

* acabar de forma positiva = end + Nombre + on a high (note).

* acabar de + Infinitivo = have + just + Participio Pasado.

* acabar de salir de = be fresh out of.

* acabar de trabajar = clock off + work.

* acabar en = result (in), land in.

* acabar mal = come to + a bad end.

* acabar mejor de lo que + empezar = end up on + a high note.

* acabar paulatinamente = wind + Nombre + down.

* acabar + Posesivo + días en = end up + Posesivo + days in.

* acabar + Posesivo + vida útil = run towards + the end of + Posesivo + useful life.

* acabar repentinamente = come to + a swift end, come to + an abrupt end.

* acabarse = draw to + a close, peter out, run out, be gone, come to + an end, run out of, draw to + an end, wind down, be all gone.

* acabarse el entusiasmo = run out of + steam.

* acabarse el espacio = run out of + space.

* acabarse el tiempo = time + run out, time + be + up.

* acabarse la buena racha = the good times + run out.

* acabarse la (buena) suerte = run out of + luck, luck + run out.

* acabar teniendo = end up with.

* como si se acabara el mundo = like there's no tomorrow.

* como si se fuese a acabar el mundo = like there's no tomorrow.

* empezar a acabarse = run + low (on).

* estar acabando con = eat away at.

* estar acabándose = be on the way out, be on + Posesivo + last legs.

* nada se acaba hasta que no se acaba = nothing is done until it's done.

* ¡se te acabó el cuento! = the jig's up!.

* sin acabar = unfinished.

* tumulto + acabar = tumult + die.

* * *

acabar [A1 ]

vi

Sentido I

A

1 (terminar) «reunión/partido/película» to finish, end

¿te falta mucho? — no, ya casi acabo do you have much to do? — no, I've nearly finished

todavía no he acabado I haven't finished yet, I'm not through yet (colloq)

2 acabar CON algo/algn to finish WITH sth/sb

¿has acabado con esto? have you finished with this?

ven cuando acabes con lo que estás haciendo come as soon as you've finished what you're doing

espera, que todavía no he acabado contigo wait a minute, I haven't finished with you yet

cuando acabes con Cristina ¿me puedes atender a mí? when you've finished with o (colloq) when you're through with Cristina, can you help me?

3 «novios» to split up, break up acabar CON algn to break up o split up WITH sb, finish WITH sb

he acabado con ella I've broken up with o split up with o finished with her, I'm through with her (colloq)

4 acabar DE + INF:

cuando acabes de leer el libro me lo pasas ¿vale? will you lend me the book when you've finished (reading) it?

todavía no he acabado de pagar la casa I still haven't finished paying for the house

para acabar de arreglarlo, se puso a llover and to top it all o cap it all o make matters worse, it began to rain

¡acabáramos! (fam); now I get it! (colloq)

¡acabáramos! así que lo que quería era dinero now I get it! it was money he was after

es que vivió siete años en Tokio — ¡acabáramos! con razón habla tan bien japonés she lived in Tokyo for seven years, you know — oh, I see! that's why she speaks Japanese so well

5 acabar + GER or acabar POR + INF to end up -ING

acabarán por aceptarlo or aceptándolo they'll end up accepting it, they'll accept it in the end

B (+ compl):

la palabra acaba en or por `r' the word ends in `r'

por este lado acaba en punta this side ends in a point

acabamos cansadísimos by the end we were dead tired

¿en qué acabó lo de anoche? how did things end up last night?

tanta historia para acabar en nada all that fuss for nothing

siempre decía que ese chico iba a acabar mal I always said that boy would come to no good

no te metas que esto puede acabar mal don't get involved, things could turn nasty o get ugly

la película acabó bien the movie had a happy ending

C (AmS arg) (tener un orgasmo) to come (colloq)

Sentido II

A acabar con

(terminar, destruir): acabó con todos los bombones he finished off o (colloq) polished off all the chocolates

en dos años acabó con la herencia he went through his inheritance in two years

si tratas así los zapatos vas a acabar con ellos en dos días if you treat your shoes like that, they'll be ruined o you'll wear them out in a couple of days

estás acabando con mi paciencia you're trying my patience, I'm running out of patience with you

este escándalo puede acabar con su carrera this scandal could ruin o finish his career

hay que acabar con este tipo de discriminaciones this sort of discrimination must be eliminated o eradicated, we/they must do away with o put an end to o put a stop to this sort of discrimination

B (fam)

(matar): sabe demasiado, hay que acabar con él he knows too much, we're going to have to eliminate him o (colloq) get rid of him

este clima/niño va a acabar conmigo this weather/child will be the death of me

Sentido III acabar de

A (para referirse a una acción reciente) acabar DE + INF:

acaba de salir she's just gone out

acababa de meterme en la cama cuando sonó el teléfono I had just got into bed when the telephone rang

acabo de comer I've just eaten

B no acabar DE + INF:

no acaba de convencerme la idea I'm not totally convinced by the idea

no acabo de entenderlo I just don't understand

el color no me acaba de gustar or (Esp fam) no me acaba I'm not too sure I like the color, I'm not too sure about the color

■ acabar

vt

A ‹trabajo› to finish

ya acabé el libro I've finished the book

no logró acabar el curso he didn't manage to finish o complete the course

iré cuando acabe lo que estoy haciendo I'll go when I've finished what I'm doing

B

(destrozar): el esfuerzo lo acabó y tuvo que abandonar la carrera he was exhausted by the effort and had to drop out of the race

la tragedia la acabó the tragedy destroyed o killed her

■ acabarse

v pron

A

(terminarse): se nos ha acabado el café we've run out of coffee, the coffee's run out, we're out of coffee (colloq)

se le acabaron las fuerzas he ran out of energy o (colloq) steam

se me está acabando la paciencia I'm running out of patience

el trabajo de la casa no se acaba nunca housework is a never-ending o an endless job

se fue él y se acabaron los problemas as soon as he left, the problems ended

¡esto se acabó! no lo aguanto más that's it! I can't take any more

y (san) se acabó (fam); and that's that

le dices que no quieres y (san) se acabó tell him you don't want to and that's that

te he dicho que no vas y (san) se acabó I've told you you're not going and that's all there is to it! o and that's that! o and let that be an end to it!

B

1 (liter)

(morir): se fue acabando poco a poco she slowly slipped away, her life's breath slowly ebbed away (liter)

2

(Méx) (quedar destrozado): se acabó en ese trabajo that job finished him off o did for him (colloq)

C (enf) (comer) to finish, finish up

acábate todas las lentejas finish (up) all the lentils

* * *

 

acabar (conjugate acabar) verbo intransitivo
1

a) [reunión/película] to finish, end;

[persona] to finish;
[novios] to split up;

◊ ya casi acabo I've nearly finished

b) (en un estado, situación) to end up;

◊ acabó en la cárcel he ended up in jail;

(+ compl)

◊ acabamos cansadísimos by the end we were exhausted;

ese chico va a acabar mal that boy will come to no good;
la película acabó bien the movie had a happy ending;
acabarán aceptándolo o por aceptarlo they'll end up accepting it;
acabar de algo to end up as sth;
acabó de camarero he ended up (working) as a waiter

c) (rematar) acabar en algo to end in sth

2

◊ acabar con

a) acabar con algo (terminar) ‹con libro/tarea› to finish with sth;

‹con bombones/bebidas› to finish off sth;
‹con salud/carrera› to ruin sth;
‹con sueldo/herencia› to fritter away sth;
‹con abuso/problema› to put an end to sth

b) (fam) acabar con algn (pelearse) to finish with sb;

(matar) to do away with sb (colloq);

◊ este niño va a acabar conmigo this child will be the death of me

3

◊ acabar de

a) (terminar) acabar de hacer algo to finish doing sth;

◊ cuando acabes de leerlo when you've finished reading it

b) (para referirse a acción reciente):

◊ acaba de salir she's just gone out;

acababa de meterme en la cama cuando … I had just got into bed when …

c) (llegar a):

◊ no acabo de entenderlo I just don't understand;

no acababa de gustarle she wasn't totally happy about it
verbo transitivo ‹trabajo/libro› to finish;
‹curso/carrera› to finish, complete
acabarse verbo pronominal
1 (terminarse) [provisiones/comida] to run out;
[problema] to be over;
[reunión/fiesta/curso] to end;
[proyecto] to finish, come to an end;
[año] to come to an end;

◊ se nos acabó el café we ran out of coffee;

se le acabaron las fuerzas he ran out of energy;
un trabajo que no se acaba nunca a never-ending o an endless task;
¡esto se acabó! that's it!
2 (enf) (comer) to finish (up)
acabar
I verbo transitivo
1 to finish (off) ➣ Ver nota en finish 2 (completar) to complete
II verbo intransitivo
1 to finish, end: todo acabó bien, it all ended happily 2 acabar con (agotar las existencias) to finish something
figurado estás acabando con mi paciencia, I'm losing my patience with you
(romper algo) to break something
(matar) to kill: la droga está acabando con él, he's killing himself with drugs
(destruir, eliminar) to destroy something: hay que acabar con la tortura, we must get rid of torture
figurado las presiones acabaron con su carrera política, the overwhelming pressure finished off his political career 3 acabar de: acaba de llegar de Río, he's just arrived from Río
no acaba de decidirse, she hasn't made up her mind yet 4 acabar en: el partido de fútbol acabó en tragedia, the football match ended in tragedy 5 acabar por/acabar + gerundio acabé creyendo/por creer que estaba loca, I ended up thinking she was mad
'acabar' also found in these entries:
Spanish:
apurar
- finiquitar
- incompleta
- incompleto
- levantarse
- paciencia
- temblar
- terminar
- tabla
English:
barrier
- break
- break down
- burial
- complete
- distance
- drag on
- end
- end up
- fade
- finish
- finish up
- get over
- get through
- grief
- illiteracy
- it
- paid
- racism
- round off
- settle
- sink
- stamp out
- there
- time-wasting
- use up
- wind up
- destroy
- do
- finished
- get
- kill
- near
- smash
- stop
- wind
- wipe

* * *

acabar

♦ vt

[terminar] to finish;

hemos acabado el trabajo we've finished the work;

todavía no ha acabado el primer plato he still hasn't finished his first course;

acabamos el viaje en Canadá our journey ended in Canada;

la bufanda está sin acabar the scarf isn't finished yet;

RP Fam

¡acabala! that's enough!

♦ vi

1. [terminar] to finish, to end;

el cuchillo acaba en punta the knife ends in a point;

el asunto acabó mal o [m5]de mala manera the affair finished o ended badly;

detesto las películas que acaban bien I hate films that have a happy ending;

acabó sus días en el exilio he ended his days in exile;

ése acabará en la cárcel he'll end up in jail;

cuando acabes, avísame tell me when you've finished;

acabar de hacer algo to finish doing sth;

acabar de trabajar/comer to finish working/eating;

acabar con algo to finish with sth;

¿has acabado con el martillo? have o are you finished with the hammer?;

acabar por hacer algo, acabar haciendo algo to end up doing sth;

acabarán por llamar o [m5]llamando they'll call eventually o sooner or later;

para acabar de arreglarlo to cap it all;

Fam

¡acabáramos! so that's what it was!

2. [haber hecho recientemente]

acabar de hacer algo to have just done sth;

acabo de llegar I've just arrived

3.

acabar con [destruir] [enemigo] to destroy;

[salud] to ruin; [violencia, crimen] to put an end to;

acabar con la paciencia de alguien to exhaust sb's patience;

está acabando con mi paciencia she's trying my patience;

acabaron con todas las provisiones they used up all the provisions;

la droga acabó con él drugs killed him;

¡ese niño va a acabar conmigo! that boy will be the death of me!

4. [volverse] to end up;

acabar loco to end up (going) mad

5. [en construcciones con infinitivo]

no acabo de entenderlo I can't quite understand it;

no acaba de parecerme bien I don't really think it's a very good idea;

no acaba de gustarme del todo I just don't really like it;

el plan no me acaba de convencer I'm not totally convinced by the plan

6. RP, Ven Fam [tener un orgasmo] to come

7. Comp

de nunca acabar never-ending;

este proyecto es el cuento de nunca acabar this project just seems to go on and on

♦ See also the pronominal verb acabarse

* * *

acabar

I v/t

1 finish

2

:

acabé haciéndolo yo I ended up doing it myself

II v/i

1 de persona finish; de función, acontecimiento finish, end;

acabar con put an end to; caramelos finish off; persona destroy;

acabar en end in;

acabar en punta end in a point;

acabar bien/mal end well/badly;

va a acabar mal fam this is going to end badly; persona he’ll come to no good o

to a bad end;

acabó por comprender in the end he understood;

no acabo de comprender I still don’t understand;

acabar con sus huesos en end up in;

es cosa de nunca acabar it’s never-ending;

¡acabáramos! now I get it!;

¡acaba ya! hurry up and finish!;

la cosa no acaba aquí and that’s not all, and there’s worse

2

:

acabar de hacer algo have just done sth;

acabo de escribirlo I’ve just written it

* * *

acabar vi

1) terminar: to finish, to end

2)

acabar de : to have just (done something)

acabo de ver a tu hermano: I just saw your brother

3)

acabar con : to put an end to, to stamp out

acabar vt

terminar: to finish

♦ See also the reflexive verb acabarse

* * *

acabar vb

1. (terminar) to finish

aún no he acabado de comer I haven't finished eating yet

2. (acción, objeto) to end

la cena acabó en baile the supper ended with a dance

la navaja acaba en punta the knife ends in a point

acabar de hacer algo to have just done something

acaba de llegar she's just arrived

acabar por to end up

acabó por comprarlo he ended up buying it