I. (|)sin(t)s, _sən-, chiefly dial (|)sen- adverb
Etymology: Middle English sins, sinnes afterwards, since, contraction of sithens, sithenes, adverb & preposition, since, from sithen (from Old English siththan, contraction of sith tham afterwards, since that, from sith, adverb & preposition, since + tham, dative of thæt that) + -s, -es -s; akin to Old High German sīd since, Old Norse sīth, adverb, late, Gothic seithu, neuter adjective, late, Old Irish sīr long-lasting, Latin serus late, serere to sow — more at that , sow
1. : continuously from a time in the past until the present
established in 1935 … it has since been the majority party — Current Biography
— often used with ever
went abroad eight years ago and has stayed there ever since
2. : before the present time : ago
that wood fire he let out of hand some time since — J.H.Powers
— often used with long
a bachelor's degree has long since lost any meaning — J.B.Conant
3. : after a time in the past : subsequently
in 1719 a brick wall, since removed, was ordered built around the churchyard — American Guide Series: Virginia
settled in what has since become South Carolina — Current Biography
II. (|)sin(t)s, chiefly dial (|)sen- preposition
1. : in the period after a specified time in the past
a few improvements have been made since the beginning of the century
2. : continuously from a specified time in the past
since that time the two groups have opposed each other — Cecil Hobbs
III. ˈsin(t)s, chiefly dial ˈsen- adjective
archaic : occurring or existing after
my since experience of Sunday evenings — J.A.Froude
IV. (|)sin(t)s, chiefly dial (|)sen- conjunction
Etymology: Middle English sinnes, from sins, sinnes, adverb
1. : after the time in the past when
the building has been razed since I visited the city
it has been 20 years since he was first elected
2. obsolete : the time in the past when : when
thou remembrest since once I sat upon a promontory — Shakespeare
3. : up to the present time from the time in the past when
has known him ever since he was a child
4. : for the reason that : because of the fact that
since it was raining he wore a hat