~ 1
■ preposition & conj. less formal way of saying until .
Origin
OE til , of Gmc origin (not, as is commonly assumed, a shortened form of until ).
Usage
Although ~ and until are generally interchangeable, ~ is usually considered to be more informal and occurs less frequently than until in writing. Until also tends to be the natural choice at the beginning of a sentence: until ten years ago, the drug was used as an illegal stimulant .
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~ 2
■ noun a cash register or drawer for money in a shop, bank, or restaurant.
Origin
ME (in the sense 'drawer or compartment for valuables'): of unknown origin.
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~ 3
■ verb prepare and cultivate (land) for crops.
Derivatives
~able adjective
~age noun
Origin
OE tilian 'strive for, obtain by effort', of Gmc origin; ult. related to ~ 1 .
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~ 4
■ noun Geology boulder clay or other sediment deposited by melting glaciers or ice sheets.
Origin
C17 (orig. Scots, denoting shale): of unknown origin.