achever

achever [a∫(ə)ve]

➭ TABLE 5

1. transitive verb

   a. ( = terminer) to finish

• cette remarque acheva de l'exaspérer the remark brought his irritation to a head

   b. ( = tuer, fatiguer) to finish off (inf)

• cette promenade m'a achevé ! that walk finished me off! (inf)

2. reflexive verb

► s'achever ( = se terminer) to end (par, sur with ) ; (literary) [jour, vie] to come to an end

• ainsi s'achèvent nos émissions de la journée (TV) that brings to an end our programmes for today

* * *

aʃve
1.

verbe transitif

1) (terminer) to finish [travail]; to conclude [discussions]; to complete [projet, visite, enquête, service militaire]; to end [vie]

achever de faire — to finish doing

2) (réussir)

ta démonstration a achevé de me convaincre — the proof you gave me finally convinced me

3) (tuer) to destroy [animal]; to finish off [personne]

4) (colloq) (épuiser) [personne, effort] to wear [somebody] out, to finish (colloq)

5) (colloq) (terrasser) [scandale, ruine] to finish [somebody] off

2.

s'achever verbe pronominal to end (par with; sur on)

le jour s'achève — the day is drawing to a close

* * *

aʃ(ə)ve vt

1) [travail, études] to complete, to finish

2) [blessé] to finish off

* * *

achever verb table: lever

A vtr

1 (terminer) to finish [travail, repas, œuvre]; to conclude [discussions]; to complete [projet, visite, enquête, service militaire]; to end [vie]; achever de faire to finish doing; il avait à peine achevé que tout le monde partait déjà he had hardly finished speaking when everyone started to leave;

2 (réussir) l'orage a achevé de décourager les spectateurs the spectators were dispirited and the storm was the last straw; il a achevé de me démoraliser avec ses mauvaises nouvelles I was feeling down-hearted and the bad news he gave me was the last straw; ta démonstration a achevé de me convaincre the proof you gave me finally convinced me;

3 (tuer) to destroy [animal]; to finish off [personne];

4 ○(épuiser) [personne, effort] to wear [sb] out, to finish○;

5 ○(terrasser) [scandale, ruine] to finish [sb] off.

B s'achever vpr to end (par with; sur on); le jour s'achève the day is drawing to a close; s'achever par un record to end with a record; s'achever sur une victoire to end on a victory.

[aʃve] verbe transitif

1. [finir - repas, discours, lettre] to finish, to end, to bring to a close ou an end ; [ - journal, livre] to reach the end of, to finish

achever sa vie à l'hôpital to end one's days in hospital

laisse-le achever sa phrase let him finish what he's saying

achever de faire quelque chose to finish doing something

ils avaient juste achevé de rembourser le crédit they'd just got through paying off the debt

achever de mettre au point une invention to put the final touches to an invention

(en usage absolu) [finir de parler] to finish (talking)

2. [tuer - animal] to destroy ; [ - personne] to finish off (separable)

3. (familier) [accabler] to finish off

4. (familier) [ruiner] to finish off (separable), to clean out (separable)

————————

s'achever verbe pronominal intransitif

[vie, journée, vacances] to come to an end, to draw to a close ou an end

[dîner, film] to end, to finish

ainsi s'achève notre journal RADIO & TÉLÉVISION (and) that's the end of the news

le livre s'achève sur une note d'espoir/un chapitre consacré à la peinture the book ends on a hopeful note/with a chapter on painting