tie up loose ends

English

Pronunciation

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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.

   • 2024 November 13, Dickon Ross, “Opinion”, in RAIL, number 1022, page 3:

     The measures for rail that were genuinely new were welcomed, although some had hoped for more. Many of these tied up loose ends around the network - unfinished business left hanging by the last government.

See also

• square away