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Definition of terminate

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ter·mi·nate  audio  (tūrm-nt) KEY  

VERB:
ter·mi·nat·ed , ter·mi·nat·ing , ter·mi·nates
VERB:
tr.
  1. To bring to an end or halt: "His action terminated the most hopeful period of reform in Prussian history" (Gordon A. Craig).
  2. To occur at or form the end of; conclude or finish: a display of fireworks that terminated the festivities.
  3. To discontinue the employment of; dismiss: a company that terminated 300 workers.
VERB:
intr.
  1. To come to an end: The oil pipeline terminates at a shipping port. Negotiations terminated yesterday. See Synonyms at complete.
  2. To have as an end or result: "The Peloponnesian war ... terminated in the ruin of the Athenian commonwealth" (Alexander Hamilton).
ETYMOLOGY:
Latin terminre , termint-, from terminus, end


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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition.
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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