phrases, sayings, idioms and expressions at

"to this end"

Posted by Victoria S Dennis on July 20, 2006

In Reply to: "To this end" Posted by Gillian Thylander on July 20, 2006

: Is the phrase "to this end" really an acceptable alternative to "for this purpose" or is it one of those things that have crept into our language?

It crept into our language several centuries ago! "End" was already being used to mean "accomplishment of a goal or objective" in Middle English. To my mind "to this end" is not quite equivalent to "for this purpose", as "end" carries a connotation of achievement, of ultimate result, which "purpose" does not. (VSD)

© 1997 – 2024 Phrases.org.uk. All rights reserved.