rhizoverbBeta
DictionarytillUp to a time
preposition / conjunction

till

TIL/tɪl/

Up to a particular time or event.

The workers pack boxes till the hourglass runs out.

Two workers stop packing plain brown boxes as the last grain drops through an hourglass beside them. The UPPER glass bulb is visibly EMPTY and crystal clear. ALL sand forms a large mound in the LOWER bulb. Their hands rest, the work has just ended.
Etymology
tillOld Norseto, until

Old Norse til expressed reaching a limit, including a limit in time. In the selected meaning, that endpoint is temporal: an action or state continues up to the specified time.

In context

Christopher Emdin1:13
"Don't smile till November,"
Christopher Emdin: Teach teachers how to create magic
BBC Learning English0:42
'We let the kids stay up till midnight on New Year's Eve.'
Sleep: Phrasal verbs with Georgie 😴

More examples

  • The store is open till nine.
  • Stay here till I return.
  • They worked till sunset.

Forms

till