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

"It wasn't until I met David that those things even occurred to me," she says.

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We don't have any images for the property again until August, by when the track had become well established.

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"I think it is a runner," argues Sir Jonathan Jones, who was the Treasury Solicitor until 2020.

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Until recently those two standards were more often seen on different sides of the debate about Scotland's future.

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Each of the seven tournaments hosted there had featured a South American winner, until Germany broke the streak in 2014, and since then Argentina won in the heat of Qatar.

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