I. (ˌ)ən.]|til, _ən]_t ə l, often ə n] after t, d, s, z, often ə m after p, b, often ə ŋ after k, g; sometimes ˈən.t ə l or |ən.ˌtil or ]|tel preposition
Etymology: Middle English, from un- unto, until (akin to Old English ōth, preposition & conjunction, to, up to, until, Old High German unt, preposition, unto, until, Old Norse & Gothic und, preposition, unto, until, Old English end end) + til till — more at end , till
1. chiefly Scotland
a. — used as a function word to indicate movement to and arrival at a destination
b. — used as a function word to indicate movement reaching as far as a limit or stopping point
c. : against
2. chiefly Scotland : to , toward
3. — used as a function word to indicate continuance (as of an action, condition, or state) up to a particular time
a tedious task which took until almost ten o'clock that night — M.M.Musselman
the accident remained undiscovered until morning
4.
a. — used as a function word after a negative expression to indicate performance or occurence at a specified time
the final ordering cannot be achieved until page proof — American Institute of Physics
b. : before
had barely heard of the mayor until this evening — Nigel Dennis
II. conjunction
Etymology: Middle English, from until, preposition
1. : up to the time that : till such time as
the game continued until it got dark
2. : before the time that
often years pass by until the new ruler is found — Heinrich Harrer
— often used after a negative or qualified statement
had never been able to relax until he took up fishing
3. : to the point or degree that : so long or so far that
would clamber up the stairs until he was breathless — Martha Gellhorn