Until vs On - What's the difference?
until | on |
Up to the time of (something happening).
* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-28, author=(Joris Luyendijk)
, volume=189, issue=3, page=21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= Before (a time).
*
, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1
, passage=I was about to say that I had known the Celebrity from the time he wore kilts. But I see I will have to amend that, because he was not a celebrity then, nor, indeed, did he achieve fame until some time after I left New York for the West.}}
* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-21, author=
, volume=189, issue=2, page=30, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= (obsolete) To; physically towards.
* Spenser
Up to the time that (a condition becomes true).
*
*:It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street.. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts.
*{{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-19, author=(Peter Wilby)
, volume=189, issue=6, page=30, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly)
, title= Before (a condition becoming true).
*
*:It is never possible to settle down to the ordinary routine of life at sea until the screw begins to revolve. There is an hour or two, after the passengers have embarked, which is disquieting and fussy.
In the state of being active, functioning or operating.
Performing according to schedule.
(UK, informal) Acceptable, appropriate.
(informal) Destined, normally in the context of a challenge being accepted; involved, doomed.
(baseball, informal) Having reached a base as a runner and being positioned there, awaiting further action from a subsequent batter.
To an operating state.
Along, forwards (continuing an action).
* {{quote-news
, year=2012
, date=May 5
, author=Phil McNulty
, title=Chelsea 2-1 Liverpool
, work=BBC Sport
, url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17878435
, page=
, passage=He met Luis Suarez's cross at the far post, only for Chelsea keeper Petr Cech to show brilliant reflexes to deflect his header on to the bar. Carroll turned away to lead Liverpool's insistent protests that the ball had crossed the line but referee Phil Dowd and assistant referee Andrew Garratt waved play on , with even a succession of replays proving inconclusive.}}
In continuation, at length.
(cricket) In, or towards the half of the field on the same side as the batsman's legs; the left side for a right-handed batsman; leg.
(not US) Later.
Positioned at the upper surface of, touching from above.
* Longfellow
At or near; adjacent to.
Covering.
At the date of.
Some time during the day of.
Dealing with the subject of, about, or concerning something.
Touching; hanging from.
(informal) In the possession of.
Because of, or due to.
Immediately after.
Paid for by.
*
, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4
, passage=Mr. Cooke at once began a tirade against the residents of Asquith for permitting a sandy and generally disgraceful condition of the roads. So roundly did he vituperate the inn management in particular, and with such a loud flow of words, that I trembled lest he should be heard on the veranda.}}
Away or occupied with (e.g. a scheduled activity).
Denoting performance or action by contact with the surface, upper part, or outside of anything; hence, by means of; with.
(senseid) Regularly taking (a drug).
(senseid) Under the influence of (a drug).
(mathematics) Having identical domain and codomain.
(mathematics) Having as domain and V'' as codomain, for some set ''V'' and integer ''n .
(mathematics) Generated by.
Supported by (the specified part of itself).
At a given time after the start of something; .
* {{quote-news, year=2011, date=September 24, author=Aled Williams, work=BBC Sport
, title=[http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/14957961.stm Chelsea 4-1 Swansea]
, passage=The Spain striker had given Chelsea the lead on 29 minutes but was shown a straight red card 10 minutes later for a rash challenge on Mark Gower.}}
In addition to; besides; indicating multiplication or succession in a series.
(obsolete) of
* Shakespeare
* Shakespeare
Indicating dependence or reliance; with confidence in.
Toward; for; indicating the object of an emotion.
(obsolete) At the peril of, or for the safety of.
* Dryden
In the service of; connected with; of the number of.
By virtue of; with the pledge of.
To the account of; denoting imprecation or invocation, or coming to, falling, or resting upon.
* Bible, Matthew xxvii. 25
As a preposition until
is up to the time of (something happening).As a conjunction until
is up to the time that (a condition becomes true).As a noun on is
lamb.until
English
Preposition
(English prepositions)Our banks are out of control, passage=Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic […]. Until 2008 there was denial over what finance had become. When a series of bank failures made this impossible, there was widespread anger, leading to the public humiliation of symbolic figures.}}
Chico Harlan
Japan pockets the subsidy …, passage=Across Japan, technology companies and private investors are racing to install devices that until recently they had little interest in: solar panels. Massive solar parks are popping up as part of a rapid build-up that one developer likened to an "explosion."}}
- He roused himself full blithe, and hastened them until .
Usage notes
It is typically assumed that circumstances have changed or could change at the referenced time. For instance, “All has gone well until now” implies that the current situation may not be so good.Synonyms
* 'til (nonstandard), till, up toAntonyms
* sinceConjunction
(English Conjunctions)Finland spreads word on schools, passage=Imagine a country where children do nothing but play until they start compulsory schooling at age seven. Then, without exception, they attend comprehensives until the age of 16. Charging school fees is illegal, and so is sorting pupils into ability groups by streaming or setting.}}
Synonyms
* 'til (nonstandard ), tillStatistics
*on
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) (m), from (etyl) (m), , see (m).Adjective
(-)- Are we still on for tonight?
- Is the show still on ?
- right on'''''; ''bang '''on'''''; ''not '''on
- "Five bucks says the Cavs win tonight." ?"You're on !"
- Mike just threw coffee onto Paul's lap. It's on now.
Synonyms
* base (not informal)Adverb
(-)- turn the television on
- drive on''', rock '''on
- and so on .
- He rambled on''' and '''on .
- Ten years on nothing had changed in the village.
Antonyms
* off * (to an operating state) off * (later) after, afterward/afterwards, later, subsequently, thencePreposition
(English prepositions)- I stood on the bridge at midnight.
- Soon we'll pass a statue on the left.
- The fleet is on the American coast.
- to play on a violin or piano
- Her words made a lasting impression on my mind.
- a function on V
- an operator on V
- heaps on heaps of food
- mischief on''' mischief; loss '''on loss
- (Shakespeare)
- Be not jealous on me.
- Or have we eaten on the insane root / That takes the reason prisoner?
- I depended on them for assistance.
- He will promise on certain conditions.
- Do you ever bet on horses?
- Have pity or compassion on him.
- Hence, on thy life.
- He is on''' a newspaper; I am '''on the committee.
- He affirmed or promised on''' his word, or '''on his honour.
- On us be all the blame.
- A curse on him!
- His blood be on' us and ' on our children.
