If something happens until a particular time, it happens during the period before that time and stops at that time.
Until 2016, he was a high-ranking officer in the army.
...consumers who have waited until after the Christmas holiday to do that holidayshopping.
Synonyms: till, up to, up till, up to the time More Synonyms of until
Until is also a conjunction.
I waited until it got dark.
Stir with a metal spoon until the sugar has dissolved.
2. preposition
You use until with a negative to emphasize the moment in time after which the rest of your statement becomes true, or the condition which would make it true.
The traffic laws don't take effect until the end of the year.
It was not until 1911 that the first of the vitamins was identified.
Synonyms: before, up to, prior to, in advance of More Synonyms of until
Until is also a conjunction.
The E.U. will not lift its sanctions until that country makes political changes.
3. up until
More Synonyms of until
English Easy Learning GrammarPrepositionsA preposition is one of a small but very common group of words that relate differentitems to each other. Most English prepositions have a number of meanings ... Read more
until in British English
(ʌnˈtɪl)
conjunction(subordinating)
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
3. (often preceded by up)
in or throughout the period before
he waited until six
4. (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
Word origin
C13 untill; related to Old High German unt unto, until, Old Norse und; see till1
until in American English
(ʌnˈtɪl)
preposition
1.
up to the time of; till (a specified time or occurrence)
until payday
2.
before (a specified time or occurrence): used with a negative
not until tomorrow
3. Scottish
to or toward
conjunction
4.
up to the time when or that
until you leave
5.
to the point, degree, or place that
heat the water until it boils
6.
before
used with a negative
not until he tells you
Word origin
ME untill < un- (see unto) + till, to, till3
Examples of 'until' in a sentence
until
After that we went clubbing and danced until the small hours.
The Sun (2016)
You really have to earn it and win it until the very last point.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
She was not due to give birth until next month.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The fans saw until the last moment we tried to win.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He waited five hours until two of his comrades could reach him.
The Sun (2017)
It will take until next summer to prove whether this is a temporary blip or an underlying problem.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Until last summer the left had forgotten what it feels like to be in ideological hostility to government.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The hole at the top has widened and may take until next year to fill.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We wanted to wait until the weather is a bit warmer.
The Sun (2014)
He will dance her until her toes bleed.
The Sun (2009)
The crisps will stay fresh and crunchy until next time.
The Sun (2014)
We waited until the end of the season to sit down.
The Sun (2015)
He was leading them a merry dance until he was swallowed up soon after turning for home.
The Sun (2010)
It was not until the next day that a policeman finally turned up.
The Sun (2007)
We are now expecting potential sellers to wait until early next year.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
They are not due to vest until 2016 and depend on performance targets being met.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
They will keep you up until 4am.
The Sun (2014)
Purchasing a tent to hold worshipers, he began a revival season that lasted until the spring.
Christianity Today (2000)
That night we talked and talked until about 4am.
The Sun (2011)
He is then alleged to have falsely imprisoned her until October last year.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
My crazy uncle talked about chaos theory until 4am.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
For most of us, the drafting process goes on until the last minute.
Marius, Richard A Short Guide to Writing About History (1995)
One told me she regularly stayed until 10pm and also logs on from home to get through her workload.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
You get up at 7.30am and it goes on until 10pm.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They stay until about 10pm.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I remember my ex-girlfriend was having a stressful day teaching swimming until 10pm.
The Sun (2012)
In other languages
until
British English: until /ʌnˈtɪl/ CONJUNCTION
Until a particular time means during the period before that time.
I waited until it got dark.
American English: until
Arabic: حَتَّى
Brazilian Portuguese: até que
Chinese: 到...为止
Croatian: do
Czech: dokud
Danish: indtil
Dutch: totdat
European Spanish: hasta que
Finnish: kunnes
French: jusqu’à ce que
German: bis
Greek: έως ότου
Italian: finché
Japanese: ･･･の時まで
Korean: ...까지
Norwegian: til
Polish: aż
European Portuguese: até que
Romanian: până
Russian: пока
Latin American Spanish: hasta que
Swedish: till ända til
Thai: จนกว่า
Turkish: kadar zaman, olay vb
Ukrainian: до
Vietnamese: cho đến khi
British English: until /ʌnˈtɪl/ PREPOSITION
If something happens until a time, it happens before that time and then stops at that time.
I worked until midnight.
American English: until
Arabic: إِلَى أَنْ
Brazilian Portuguese: até
Chinese: 到...为止
Croatian: dok
Czech: do časově
Danish: før
Dutch: tot
European Spanish: hasta
Finnish: saakka
French: jusqu’à
German: bis
Greek: έως
Italian: fino a
Japanese: ･･･まで
Korean: ...까지
Norwegian: til
Polish: do o czasie
European Portuguese: até
Romanian: până
Russian: до
Latin American Spanish: hasta
Swedish: till ända till
Thai: จนกระทั่ง
Turkish: kadar yer
Ukrainian: до
Vietnamese: cho đến khi
All related terms of 'until'
up until
Up until or up to are used to indicate the latest time at which something can happen , or the end of the period of time that you are referring to.
until further notice
If a situation is said to exist until further notice , it will continue for an uncertain length of time until someone changes it.
leave sth until last
If you leave something or someone until last , you delay using, choosing , or dealing with them until you have used, chosen, or dealt with all the others.
until hell freezes over
If you say that you will do something until hell freezes over , you are emphasizing that you will do it for a very long time or for ever .
until the cows come home
for a very long time
until sb is blue in the face
If you say that someone can do something until they are blue in the face , you are emphasizing that however much they do it, it will not make any difference .
until one is blue in the face
to the utmost degree ; indefinitely
(do sthg) until the cows come home
If you say that someone can do something until the cows come home , but it will have no effect, you are emphasizing that it will have no effect even if they do it for a very long time.
it isn't over until the fat lady sings
said to encourage someone not to give up hope because nothing is certain and there is still time for the situation to change
until the end of time to the end of time
If you say that something will happen or be true until the end of time or to the end of time , you are emphasizing that it will always happen or always be true.
someone can do something until they are blue in the face
said to mean that however long someone does something or however hard they try , they will still fail
Chinese translation of 'until'
until
(ənˈtɪl)
prep
直到 ... 时(時) (zhídào ... shí)
⇒ They didn't find her until the next day.他们直到第二天才找到她。 (Tāmen zhídào dì'èr tiān cái zhǎodào tā.)
conj
到 ... 为(為)止 (dào ... wéizhǐ)
⇒ She waited until he had gone.她一直等到他走为止。 (Tā yīzhí děngdào tā zǒu wéizhǐ.)
until now直到现(現)在 (zhídào xiànzài)
not until now直到现(現)在才 (zhídào xiànzài cái)
until then届(屆)时(時) (jièshí)
not until then直到那时(時)才 ... (zhídào nàshí cái ... )
All related terms of 'until'
until now
直到现(現)在 zhídào xiànzài
until then
直到那时(時) zhídào nàshí
until recently
直到最近 zhídào zuìjìn
not until now
直到现(現)在才 zhídào xiànzài cái
not until then
直到那时(時)才 ... zhídào nàshí cái ...
up to or until
直到 zhídào
until further notice
直到另行通知 zhídào lìngxíng tōngzhī
I won't rest until ...
直到 ... 我才会(會)停止 zhídào ... wǒ cái huì tíngzhǐ
to leave sth until later
把某事往后(後)拖延 bǎ mǒushì wǎnghòu tuōyán
it won't be long before/until ...
很快就 ... hěn kuài jiù ...
not until I'm good and ready
直到我彻(徹)底准(準)备(備)好时(時)才 zhídào wǒ chèdǐ zhǔnbèi hǎo shí cái
consumers who have waited until after the Christmas holiday
Synonyms
till
up to
up till
up to the time
as late as
2 (preposition)
Definition
before
The traffic laws don't take effect until the end of the year.
Synonyms
before
up to
prior to
in advance of
previous to
pre-
1 (conjunction)
Definition
up to a time that
I waited until it got dark.
Synonyms
till
up to
up till
up to the time
as late as
2 (conjunction)
Definition
before (a time or event)
The EC will not lift its sanctions until that country makes changes.
Synonyms
before
up to
prior to
in advance of
previous to
Usage note
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. The use of up before until is also redundant and should be avoided: the talks will continue until (not up until) 23rd March.