/ tɪl; NAmE / conjunction , preposition , noun , verb
■ conjunction , preposition
= until :
We're open till 6 o'clock.
Can't you wait till we get home?
Just wait till you see it. It's great.
HELP NOTE : Till is generally felt to be more informal than until and is used much less often in writing. At the beginning of a sentence, until is usually used.
■ noun
1.
( BrE ) = cash register
2.
( BrE , informal ) the place where you pay for goods in a large shop / store :
Please pay at the till.
a long queue at the till
3.
( especially NAmE ) the drawer where the money is put in a cash register
•
IDIOMS
see finger noun
■ verb
[ vn ] ( old use ) to prepare and use land for growing crops
••
WORD ORIGIN
conjunction and preposition Old English til , of Germanic origin; related to Old Norse til to, also ultimately to the verb till .
noun late Middle English (in the general sense drawer or compartment for valuables ): of unknown origin.
verb Old English tilian strive for, obtain by effort , of Germanic origin; related to Dutch telen produce, cultivate and German zielen aim, strive, also ultimately to till until . The current sense dates from Middle English .