that part of an anchor cable which is abaft the bitts and thus remains inboard when a ship is riding at anchor
Note: To pay out a rope to the bitter end means to pay it all out.
the final six fathoms of anchor chain before the point of attachment in the chain locker of modern U.S.naval vessels, with these six fathoms often painted blue, white and red to warn deck hands of the end of available anchor chain
final completion of something (especially something that is potentially very painful or unpleasant)
(nautical) the inboard end of a line or cable especially the end that is wound around a bitt the final extremity (however unpleasant it may be); "he was determined to fight to the bitter end