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The final, often calm and pleasant phase of an event, a day, or an experience.
Der gemütliche Ausklang des Abends fand bei einem Glas Wein an der Hotelbar statt.
The cozy close of the evening took place over a glass of wine at the hotel bar.
fade-out
In music, the gradual fading away of a note or chord after it has been played.
Der lange Ausklang der Glocke war noch minutenlang zu hören.
The long fade-out of the bell could still be heard for minutes.
The word consists of 'aus' (out) and 'Klang' (sound). Literally, it describes the 'Ausklingen' (fading away) or becoming quieter of a sound. This idea is transferred to the calm ending of an event or a day.
Der Ausklang des Konzerts war ein leises Klavierstück.
The close of the concert was a quiet piano piece.
When referring to the end of an event, 'Ausklang' (close) is often combined with adjectives such as 'gemütlich' (cozy), 'harmonisch' (harmonious), or 'gelungen' (successful). Most often, it refers to the 'Ausklang des Abends' (close of the evening), 'des Tages' (of the day), or 'der Feier' (of the celebration).
Wir erlebten einen harmonischen Ausklang des Festes am Lagerfeuer.
We experienced a harmonious close to the festival around the campfire.
You can easily recognize the meaning from the context. If people are talking about music, instruments, or sounds, it means the fading away of a tone. If it is about events, celebrations, or the course of the day, it means the final, calm phase.
Der Pianist nutzte den langen Ausklang des Akkords für eine dramatische Pause.
The pianist used the long fade-out of the chord for a dramatic pause.
end
Ende can refer to the last part of an evening or simply to its endpoint. Ausklang, by contrast, refers to the winding-down phase, which is often calm and pleasant. Ende fits for a precise endpoint; Ausklang fits for the atmosphere of the final phase.
Beim gemeinsamen Ausklang saßen wir noch eine Stunde ruhig zusammen.
During the relaxed end to the evening, we sat together quietly for another hour.
Um Mitternacht fand der gemeinsame Abend sein Ende.
The evening we spent together came to an end at midnight.
