until
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishuntilun‧til /ʌnˈtɪl, ən-/ ●●● S1 W1 preposition, conjunction
1 UNTILif something happens until a particular time, it continues and then stops at that time
The ticket is valid until March.
He waited until she had finished speaking.
Until recently, Anna worked as a teacher in Japan.
Up until last year, they didn’t even own a car.2 → not untilRegisterIn everyday English, people often say till rather than until:I’ll wait till you get back.GRAMMAR: Choosing the right tense• You use the simple present tense with until: I will wait until I hear from you. • Don’t use ‘will’ in the clause after until. ✗Don’t say: I will wait until I will hear from you. • You can also use the present perfect tense with until: I will wait until I have heard from you.Stir until the sugar has dissolved. ✗Don’t say: until I will have heard from you | until the sugar will have dissolved• You can also use the past perfect tense with until: I waited until the train had left the station.USAGE: Until now, so far• You usually use until now when a situation has just ended or changed: I have never thought about it until now (=but now I have thought about it).• You use so far when a situation has not changed: We don't have any news about him so far. ✗Don’t say: We don't have any news about him until now.Examples from the CorpusUp until• Which has always guaranteed Caleb a birthday the whole world celebrates. Up until now.• Instead he gives a remarkable answer. Up until seven years ago, he says, he thought this a good thing.Origin until (1100-1200) un- “unto, until” + till
More results
- not until
- till/until Doomsday
- until further notice
- wait until/till ...
- until/till you drop
- after/before/until dark
- somebody will not rest until ...
Pictures of the day
What are these?
Click on the pictures to check.
