Pl. finger-ends, fingers’-ends. The end or tip of the finger.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 8795. Folowand the fell to þe fyngur endys.
c. 1400. Lanfranc’s Cirurg., 28. Þe skyn of þe fyngris endis.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., V. v. 88. Qu. With Triall-fire touch me his finger-end!
1655. Sir E. Nicholas, in The Nicholas Papers (Camden), II. 321. I will never desert whilst I can wagg nose, toes, or finguers end.
1712. trans. Pomet’s Hist. Drugs, I. 135. Fruit, about the size of ones Finger End.
1825. Scott, Jrnl., 20 Nov. Strange that his finger-ends can describe so well what he cannot bring out clearly and firmly in words.
b. Phrases: † To arrive at one’s fingers’ ends: to come to gnawing one’s fingers’ ends; to reach the extremity of poverty. At one’s finger(s’ ends: ready at hand. To have (or † know), at (or † on) one’s finger(s’ ends or tips: to have thorough familiarity with (a subject, branch of knowledge, etc.). (To live) by one’s fingers’ ends: by industry or manual labour. † To suck (anything) out of one’s own fingers’ ends: to arrive at by one’s own ingenuity. To one’s finger-ends: completely, entirely, quite. † To get upon the finger-ends (= Fr. avoir sur les doigts): fig. to incur a sharp reprimand, to ‘catch it.’
1546. J. Heywood, Prov. (1562), E ij.
| And fain no ground, but take tales of his owne freends, | |
| I sucke not this out of my owne fingers eends. |
1553. Latimer, Serm. (1575), III. 181. He forgetteth them not, but hath them at hys finger’s-ende (as they say).
1561. Hoby, trans. Castiglione’s Courtyer, I. C b. You haue at your fingers endes that belongeth thereto.
a. 1568. Coverdale, Bk. Death, xl. (1579), 194. He maie be the better aquainted with them, and have them on his fingers endes.
1577. trans. Bullinger’s Decades (1592), 581/1. I haue learned by confessions & knowe at my fingers ends, what kind of men, of women, and of maidens are in this citie.
1579. Gosson, The Schoole of Abuse (Arb.), 36. If any parte of Musick haue suffred shipwrack, and ariued by fortune at their fingers endes, with shewe of gentilitie they take vp faire houses, receiue lusty lasses at a price for boorders, and pipe from morning to euening for wood and coale.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., Democr. to Rdr. (1676), 32/2. Where thousands of inhabitants live singular well by their fingers’ ends!
1662. Greenhalgh, in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. II. IV. 14. Their Service-books … they have at their fingers’ end.
1693. Apol. Clergy Scot., 37. I am afraid I may get upon the Finger-ends, because I did not name my Witnesses.
1711. Steele, Spect., No. 156, 29 Aug., ¶ 5. Names which a Man of his Learning has at his Fingers-Ends.
1816. Earl of Dudley, Lett. (1840), 143. If I hear of a new poem, for instance, I ask myself first whether it is superior to Homer, Shakspeare, Ariosto, Virgil, or Racine; and in the next place, whether I already have all these authors completely at my fingers’ ends.
1862. Carlyle, Fredk. Gt. (1865), III. IX. ii. 82. All manner of Military Histories, we perceive, are at his finger-ends.
1883. Harper’s Mag., Vol. 66, Jan., 324/2.
| I would not, were I Julie, have my friends | |
| Call me but pretty. With your charms endowed | |
| I would be Duchess to my finger-ends: | |
| As I were wealthy, so would I be proud. |
