tie up loose ends

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

Verb

tie up loose ends (third-person singular simple present ties up loose ends, present participle tying up loose ends, simple past and past participle tied up loose ends)

1. (idiomatic) To deal with the minor consequences of a previous action; to tidy up, finish, or complete.

   Removing her name from the mailing list was her way of tying up loose ends.

   • 2020 September 1, Nicholas Barber, “Five stars for I'm Thinking of Ending Things”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     it is rich in detail and ideas, and it comes from a unique, uncompromising talent who likes to leave some loose ends for the viewer to tie up.

See also

• square away