ends

Ends is the plural form of the noun end and a common English word used in many contexts to denote termination, extremities, or goals. It can describe the final parts or boundaries of objects or sequences, such as the ends of a rope, the ends of a journey, or the ends of a street. The phrase the ends of the earth illustrates its use in geographic or figurative sense.

In geometry and physical objects, ends refer to endpoints: a line segment has two ends; a wire or cable has ends that can be joined, cut, or terminated. In manufacturing and engineering, the ends of components are often shaped, capped, or treated according to specifications.

In philosophy and ethics, ends appear in the phrase ends and means, distinguishing goals or purposes (ends) from the methods used to achieve them (means). The discussion often centers on whether and when certain ends justify the means used to achieve them, a topic in normative ethics and political philosophy.

In linguistics and grammar, ends can be the third-person singular present tense form of the verb end, as in "he ends the meeting," and it also serves as the plural of end in noun usage. The term appears in various idioms, including "to the ends of the earth," and in contexts discussing teleology.