until

[uhn-til]

conjunction

1. up to the time that or when; till.

   He read until his guests arrived.

2. before (usually used in negative constructions).

   They did not come until the meeting was half over.

preposition

1. onward to or till (a specified time or occurrence).

   She worked until 6 p.m.

2. before (usually used in negative constructions).

   He did not go until night.

3. Scot. and North England.,  to; unto.

until

/ ʌnˈtɪl /

conjunction

1. up to (a time) that

   he laughed until he cried

2. (used with a negative) before (a time or event)

   until you change, you can't go out

preposition

1. (often preceded by up) in or throughout the period before

   he waited until six

2. (used with a negative) earlier than; before

   he won't come until tomorrow

Usage

The use of until such time as (as in industrial action will continue until such time as our demands are met ) is unnecessary and should be avoided: industrial action will continue until our demands are met

Confusables Note

See till ¹.

Word History and Origins

Origin of until¹

First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English untill, from un- (from Old Norse unz “up to, as far as”) + till till ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of until¹

C13 untill; related to Old High German unt unto, until, Old Norse und; see _till ¹

Idioms and Phrases

see put off until tomorrow; talk one's arm off (until blue in the face). Also see under till.

Example Sentences

Other men who served in the Sudan included John French, the first commander of the British Expeditionary Force in France, and Douglas Haig, who succeeded him from December 1915 until the armistice.

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We flew from New York City to New Orleans on November 28, 2016, my father, my mother, my husband, my two little girls and I. Our rental car followed the path of the Mississippi northward, snaking past suburbs and swamps, tin-roofed shacks and dirt roads until we reached the Gillis W. Long Hansen’s Disease Center, formerly known as the Louisiana Leper Home, in Carville where my dad had once been a patient.

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Nevertheless, the policy wasn’t abolished until the late 1960s.

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They are going to be absolutely cruising in the title race until February or March and then if Manchester City or Chelsea, or whoever it is, are within five or six points then they might feel the pressure.

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This adolescent period lasts much longer than expected, continuing until roughly age 32 on average.

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