Fin

n.[ OE. finne, fin, AS. finn; akin to D. vin, G. & Dan. finne, Sw. fena, L. pinna, penna, a wing, feather. Cf. pen a feather. ] 1. (Zool.) An organ of a fish, consisting of a membrane supported by rays, or little bony or cartilaginous ossicles, and serving to balance and propel it in the water. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Fishes move through the water chiefly by means of the caudal fin or tail, the principal office of the other fins being to balance or direct the body, though they are also, to a certain extent, employed in producing motion. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A membranous, finlike, swimming organ, as in pteropod and heteropod mollusks. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A finlike organ or attachment; a part of an object or product which protrudes like a fin, as: (a) The hand. [ Slang ] (b) (Com.) A blade of whalebone. [ Eng. ] McElrath. (c) (Mech.) A mark or ridge left on a casting at the junction of the parts of a mold. (d) (Mech.) The thin sheet of metal squeezed out between the collars of the rolls in the process of rolling. Raymond.

(e) (Mech.) A feather; a spline. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. A finlike appendage, as to submarine boats. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Aëronautics) A fixed stabilizing surface, usually vertical, similar in purpose to a bilge keel on a ship. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

Apidose fin. (Zool.) See under Adipose, a. --
Fin ray (Anat.), one of the hornlike, cartilaginous, or bony, dermal rods which form the skeleton of the fins of fishes. --
Fin whale (Zool.), a finback. --
Paired fins (Zool.), the pectoral and ventral fins, corresponding to the fore and hind legs of the higher animals. --
Unpaired fins, or
Median fins (Zool.), the dorsal, caudal, and anal fins. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Finned p. pr. & vb. n. Finning. ] [ Cf. Fin of a fish. ] To carve or cut up, as a chub. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ From Fine. ] Liable or subject to a fine; as, a finable person or offense. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. & t. to achieve something by means of trickery or devious methods.
Syn. -- wangle, manage. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

a. [ F., fr. L. finalis, fr. finis boundary, limit, end. See Finish. ] 1. Pertaining to the end or conclusion; last; terminating; ultimate; as, the final day of a school term. [ 1913 Webster ]

Yet despair not of his final pardon. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Conclusive; decisive; as, a final judgment; the battle of Waterloo brought the contest to a final issue. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Respecting an end or object to be gained; respecting the purpose or ultimate end in view. [ 1913 Webster ]

Final cause. See under Cause.

Syn. -- Final, Conclusive, Ultimate. Final is now appropriated to that which brings with it an end; as, a final adjustment; the final judgment, etc. Conclusive implies the closing of all discussion, negotiation, etc.; as, a conclusive argument or fact; a conclusive arrangement. In using ultimate, we have always reference to something earlier or proceeding; as when we say, a temporary reverse may lead to an ultimate triumph. The statements which a man finally makes at the close of a negotiation are usually conclusive as to his ultimate intentions and designs. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ It. See Final. ] Close; termination; as: (a) (Mus.) The last movement of a symphony, sonata, concerto, or any instrumental composition. (b) The last composition performed in any act of an opera. (c) The closing part, piece, or scene in any public performance or exhibition. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. same as finalization.
Syn. -- finalization. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. (Sports) Any of the players who meet in the final round of a tournament in which the losers in any round do not play again. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]