prep. and conj. Forms: α. 3 Orm. unntil, 4–7 vn-, 4–9 untill (7 untell), 4, 6 vn-, 5–6 untyll (5 unetyll); 4–5 vn-, 5 (9 arch.) untille, 5 un-, vntylle (yn-); 4–7 vntil, 5–6 vntyl, 4– until. β. 4 (9 dial.) ontil, Sc. 5 ontyll, onetil, 5–6 ontill. [ME. (originally northern) untill, f. ON. und (retained only in unz, undz = und es), = Goth. und (and untē), OS. und (usually unt), OFris. und (ont), up to, as far as † till TILL prep. and conf.] A. prep.
In poetry occasionally put after the sb. (or pron.).
I. Local (and derived senses), dative, etc. Latterly Sc. and north.
1. To, unto (denoting motion to and reaching a person or place); = TILL prep. 1.
c. 1200. Ormin, 1399. Forr whatt teȝȝ fellenn sone dun Off heoffne unntill helle.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5123. Þan he went vntil his in.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 13086. Wiþ hym vntil wode þey fled.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 2311. Þe Amerel vn-til a wyndow ran.
a. 1450. Le Morte Arth., 3858. Streyght vnto hys bed he yode, And clepyd the bysshope hym vntylle.
1478. Eng. Misc. (Surtees Soc. 85), 37. Unto all theis untill whome this presentes shal com.
1526. Tindale, Matt. iv. 3. Then came vntyll hym the tempter.
1561. Godly Q. Hester (1873), 12. Then shall I brynge her the kynge untyll.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., I. xi. 4. He rousd himselfe full blith, and hastned them vntill.
a. 1800[?]. Jock o’ the Side, xiii., in Scott, Min. When they cam the gate until.
1824. J. Telfer, Border Ball., 43. It dirlit upthrow the twinklinge holes, The second lifte untille.
b. Up to (a point or limit); as far as; so as to reach; = TILL prep. 1 b.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 10554. Fro þe Weste or Est vntil Moungow He was told of non honour. Ibid. (1338), Chron. (1810), 42. Þe folk vntille Humber to Suane gan þei loute.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxxvii. 52. I prechid in Neptalym, þat lande, And Zabulon even vn-till ende.
1535. Coverdale, Judg. xx. 1. Then wente the children of Israel out and gathered a congregacion,… from Dan vntill Bersaba.
1552. Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion. Upon the holy dayes … shalbe sayde al that is appoynted…, vntyl the ende of the Homelie.
1599. Hakluyt, Voy., II. I. 211. Staires of yron ascending vp vntill the midst of the pillers.
1616. J. Lane, Contn. Sqr.’s T., XI. 311. A woman … Which att her necke, vntill her dugges dependinge, Wore the ritch rubie.
a. 1765. Ld. Thomas & Fair A., xxviii., in Child, Ball. Lord Thomas … strake the dagger untill his heart.
c. In contact with; against.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., III. 1138. Sarmentes … Vntil a reed for turnyng bounden fast.
1785. R. Forbes, Ulysses, 38. He shook the blade, an’ … Set the heft to the ground, The nib until his breast.
a. 1803. Cruel Mother, iii., in Child, Ball., I. 221/1. She’s set her back untill an oak. Ibid., iv.
2. To, towards; unto; = TILL prep. 2.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 23286. Þai … Ne wald noght here bot þair delices, Þat drogh þam vntil oþer vices.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 6484. Þogh now we ȝaue alle þy gode vntyl pore mannes fode. Ibid. (1338), Chron. (1810), 237. Ȝit auanced he þat file vntille a faire þing.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., I. 448. Mynge hit yurne Tyl euery part vntyl on body turne.
c. 1535. Fisher, Wks., II. (E.E.T.S.), 429. Howe terribly shall he lay this vntyll our charge, whan we shal be called vntyll a rekenynge for this matter!
1566. Sternhold & H., Ps. cxxxix. 6. It is so hye that I the same Can not attayne vntill.
1587. M. Grove, Pelops & Hipp. (1878), 77. Perchance ye gods haue you preseru’d vntil some better end.
c. 1675. in Shirburn Ball. (1907), 171. Good or euill, which his minde was bent vntill.
c. 1800. in Chambers, Pop. Poems Scotl. (1862), 64. Ge—en—tlemen o’ the Jury, Ye’ll answer until a’ your names.
1814. Scott, Wav., x. The Laird … had devoted his leisure untill tillage and agriculture.
† b. Like until, like; resembling. Obs. rare.
c. 1375. Leg. Rood (1871), 123. It was like untill a heuyn.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), vii. 26. Þe fruyt … es lyke vntill hostez.
3. Indicating the person towards whom an action, feeling, statement, etc., is directed. Freq. after verbs of telling, teaching, calling, doing, giving, making, listening, etc. = TILL prep. 3.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1069. Vntil his broþer nith he bare.
1357. Lay Folks’ Catech. (T.), 56. Seuen dedis of merci until oure euen-cristen.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. Prol. 227. Tauerners vn-til hem tolde þe same.
c. 1400. Rule St. Benet (Verse), 378. Al þat scho sal tech oþer vntill.
1417. York Memo. Bk. (Surtees), I. 183. He that es noght obeiant untill sercheours and till his crafte.
c. 1450. Lovelich, Grail, lvi. 77. What is that the vntylle?
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XVIII. xv. 752. She cryed on loude vntyl hym.
a. 1500. Coventry Corpus Chr. Pl., 966. The furst byddyng, Wyche Moses dyd rede vs vntill.
1521. Fisher, Serm. agst. Luther, iv. D v. He shal be a comforter vntyl vs.
1565. J. Hall, Crt. Virtue, 31. The rounde earth he hath forth lente The sonnes of mortall men vntyll.
1567. Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 82. Than ȝe present ane peirles sing, Of lyfe serene, the warld vntill.
a. 1780. Archie o’ Cawfield, xxxv. in Child, Ball. The lieutenant Until a bonny lad said … ‘Who is the man…?’ Ibid., xxxvi.
† 4. Up to (a given number); amounting or extending to. Obs. rare.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxii. 102. Diuerse bestez, as marmusetes, apes and oþer many vntil iiim or iiiim.
1539. Bible (Great), Matt. xviii. 22. Lorde howe oft shall I forgeue my brother…: Tyll seuen tymes? Iesus sayeth vnto him: I saye not vnto the vntill seuen tymes: but seuenty times seuen tymes.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Luke ii. 37. And she was a widow vntil eightie and foure yeres.
II. With reference to time.
5. Onward till (a time specified or indicated); up to the time of (an action, occurrence, etc.); TILL prep. 5.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 1424. Stil ai stod þai wandes thre Fra adam tim until noe.
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 555. Þe wilk reches fra þe bygynnyng Of mans lyfe un-til þe endyng.
a. 1352. Minot, Poems (ed. Hall), iii. 39. All þat land vntill þis day Fars þe better for þat iornay.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth. (T.), 702. Þay made hyme … a knyghte of þe tabylle rownde, Vn-tille his lyues ende.
a. 1466. Paston Lett., Suppl. (1901), 105. I pray zow that hyt may be repytyd un tyll the tyme that I speke with zow.
1539. Bible (Great), Luke xvi. 16. The lawe and the Prophetes raygned vntyll Iohn.
1554. in Feuillerat, Revels Q. Mary (1914), 154. From the laste daye of Maye … vntill the vjt daye of June.
1592. Arden of Feversham, III. vi. 36. I doo but slip it vntil better time.
1652. J. Wright, trans. Camus’ Nat. Paradox, x. 229. Intreating him to stay there untill further intelligence from him.
a. 1682. Sir T. Browne, Tracts (1683), 138. With little action with foreign Nations untill the union of the Heptarchy under Egbert.
1721. Mortimer, Husb. (ed. 2), II. 133. [To] hang them up until the end of February.
1754. in Nairne Peerage Evid. (1874), 55. Taking upon himself the stile or title of lord Nairn … until pay[men]t.
1853. Thackeray, Eng. Hum., i. 10. He waits and waits until nightfall.
1889. Science-Gossip, XXV. 255/2. Brooks’s comet … may be visible … until the end of the year.
b. With (usu. after) a negative, = TILL prep. 5 b.
1543. Star Chamber Cases (Selden), II. 267. Straungers … will not vtter their wares … vntill the Faire.
1590. Shaks., Mids. N., II. ii. 117. Things growing are not ripe vntill their season.
1628. trans. Mathieu’s Powerfull Favorite, 103. Tiberius censed not vntill such time as the Senate did content him.
1671. trans. Frejus’ Voy. Mauritania, 21. Although this be a countrey where, untill this very day, we see no man so venterous as to hazard himself, but by Hostages.
1764. H. Walpole, Otranto, v. Until this hour I never set eyes on this damsel.
1872. J. L. Sanford, Estimates Eng. Kings, Chas. I., 333. He did not become a person of real importance … until the death of his elder brother.
1893. W. O. Morris, Napoleon (1894), 158. Nelson had not left Europe until the second week of May.
c. Followed by an ady. (or advb. phrase) of time. = TILL prep. 5 c.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 58. Godwyn … fro London went away, He stode vntille no more, defaute he mad þat day.
1538. Elyot, Etiamnum, vntyll than.
1539. Bible (Great), Num. xiv. 19. As thou hast forgeuen this people from Egipte euen vntyll now.
1582. N. T. (Rhem.), Matt. xi. 12. From the dayes of Iohn the Baptist vntil novv.
a. 1631. Donne, Paradoxes (1652), 81. A vertue which,… untill then, is kept with a modest chastity.
1648. Hexham, II. Tot wanneer? Untill when?
1721. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., VIII. 301. From the end of Compline untill after Prime the next day.
1764. H. Walpole, Otranto, v. It was not until after frequent discourses with Isabella … that he was persuaded.
1826. Art Brewing (ed. 2), 126. [It] has, until lately, been a question among chemists.
1838. Encycl. Metrop. (1845), XXV. 175/2. The results … cannot be appreciated until after the lapse of years.
1849. Rock, Ch. of Fathers, I. v. 385. Until late in the thirteenth century.
1873. F. Hall, Mod. Eng., p. xv. Until four years ago.
6. Before (a specified time).
1887. Lady Brassey, Last Voy., 201. Having quite abandoned all hope of our appearing until the morning.
B. conj. (See TILL conj.)
Not common during 18th c.; in freq. use from c. 1820.
a. Up to the time that; till the point or degree when; = TILL conj. 1. Also with that.
c. 1300. Harrowing of Hell (Auch.) 29. [They were in woe] Vntil Crist loked þaim vnto.
1338. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 56. Þei … duelled þer for drede, Untille þe kyng turned, & his wrath ouer ȝede.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., I. 619. The cok … his briddis hateth Vntil the crest uppon theire hedis growe.
1526. Tindale, Luke xxiv. 49. Tary ye in … Jerusalem vntill ye be endewed with power.
1556. Lauder, Tractate, 481. The Maledictione of the pure Sall on ȝow and ȝour seid Indure, Vntyll that ȝe be rutit oute.
1580. in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. IV. 426. [The jury] shall contynue together … untill they be fullie agreed upon their verdicte.
1602. Ld. Cromwell, IV. v. 39. Now get you in, vntill I call for you.
1684. Bunyan, Pilgr., II. (1900), 228. He … did them all abuse; Until that I … arose.
1729. T. Innes, Crit. Essay (1879), 267. In the meantime, until exact copies be published,… variations and alterations … may be shown [etc.].
1764. H. Walpole, Otranto, v. Manfred … pushed on the feast until it waxed late.
1802. Lochmaben Harper, xvi., in Scott, Min. The fiend dought they do but listen him to, Until that the day began to daw.
1870. M. Arnold, St. Paul & Prot., 9. Man is altogether passive in this call, until the Holy Spirit enables him to answer it.
ellipt. 1596. Shaks., Merch. V., III. ii. 149. As doubtfull whether what I see be true, Vntill confirm’d, sign’d, ratified by you.
1855. Poultry Chron., III. 296/2. After this, until feathered, they should be fed on rich food.
b. With negative (expressed or implied) in the principal clause, = TILL conj. 1 b. Also with that.
a. 1300. E. E. Psalter xciii. 15. For lauerd sal noght his folke schouue awai,… Vntil þat rightwisenes Be turned in dome.
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 3213. Na man may … Out of þat hard payn þam wyn, Until þe fire haf wasted þair bandes of syn. Ibid., 3271. Til þat sight þai may never wyn, Until þai be clensed þar of al syn.
c. 1477. Stonor Papers (Camden), II. 29. Fore we may nat go vn-tylle ȝe comme.
1535. Coverdale, Job xiv. 12. But when man slepeth, he ryseth not agayne, vntill the heauen perish.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 115. I will fall prostrate at his feete, And neuer rise vntill my teares … Haue won his grace to come in person hither.
1662. Dryden, To Ld. Chancellor, 32. In open Prospect nothing bounds our Eye Until the Earth seems join’d unto the sky.
1692. E. Walker, trans. Epictetus’ Mor., On Enchiridion. That Truth they could not find Until the Morning-Star … form’d the Gospel Day.
1766. Smollett, Trav., iv. It will not freeze at all, until it has deposited all its salt.
1798. Wordsw., Peter Bell, Prol. 4. Through the clouds I’ll never float Until I have a little Boat.
1868. Morris, Earthly Par., I. 187. No man living should see this Until that thou … Hast given it to the seneschal.
1893. Spectator, 22 July, 101. The answer … will probably not be published until these pages are in our readers’ hands.
ellipt. 1895. C. J. Cornish, Wild England of to-day, 248. Often they will … not move until almost trodden on.
c. In similar sense without a negative: Before the time that; before. Cf. TILL conj. 1 c.
1601. J. Weever, Mirr. Martyrs, A 3 b. One tale is good vntill another’s told.
1621. Elsing, Debates Ho. Lords. (Camden), 51. He refused to yield … untell the fees … were payed him.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1655), II. 70. ’Tis held a great part of incivility for maidens to drink wine untill they are married.
1841. J. R. Hope-Scott, in R. Ornsby, Mem. (1884), I. 305. There will probably be an interval of six months, at least, until they can meet.
1852. Rock, Ch. of Fathers, III. 76. The unfitness of man’s soul to go to heaven until cleansed from every smallest speck of sin.
d. = TILL conj. 1 d.
1609. Holland, Amm. Marcell., 417. Mallobantes … was much troubled, thinking it long untill he might advance his standerd against the enemie.
1611. R. Fenton, Treat. Usury, 97. The time is not long, vntill thou must trust him with a far greater matter.
1804. Lady Hunter, in Jrnl. Sir M. Hunter (1894), 202. We had not sat long until one roll of the ship brought such a sea on deck as [etc.].
e. So long or so far that; = TILL conj. 1 e.
c. 1440. Pallad. on Husb., III. 1143. In water first this opium relent, Of sape vntil hit ha similitude.
1535. Coverdale, Jer. xliv. 27. All the men of Iuda … shal perish with the swearde,… vntill they be vtterly destroyed.
1567. Jewel, Def. Apol., VI. vii. 625. They eate, vntil they be faine to perbreake.
1598. Epulario, K iij. Heat it vntill the Cheese curd.
1652. Culpepper, Eng. Physic., 5. If the decoction stand … for two or three days untill the yellow colour be changed black.
1748. Anson’s Voy., I. viii. 82. We were obliged to bear away until they had made all fast.
1764. H. Walpole, Otranto, v. A silly wench, who has heard stories of apparitions until she believes them.
1836. Thirlwall, Greece, III. 247. The flames were spread by the wind, until almost the whole island was left bare.
1901. Scribner’s Mag., XXIX. 511/2. It was comparatively easy to repeat the drawing until the whole design was accurately copied.
ellipt. 1827. Faraday, Chen. Manip., xviii. 476. A mixture made by rubbing down very poor cheese with water…, until of the consistency of cream.
† f. So long (…) until, = TILL conj. 1 f. Obs.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, VII. xxxi. 263. So this syr Gareth rode soo longe in that forest vntyl the nyghte came.
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, s.v. Eatenus, Thou shouldest so longe beare vntill he had … neglected those lawes.
1595. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., V. 346. The Universitie of Oxford, where he continwed so longe untill he was thought fitt for the degree of Bacheler of Artes.
1597. Beard, Theatre God’s Judgem. (1612), 129. Eating grasse like oxen, even so long untill his haire was growne stiffe.
1651. Wittie, trans. Primrose’s Pop. Err., 226. Wee must persist so long in the use of remedies, untill … we perceive [etc.].
