unto en · ADP
Pronunciation
- /-tʊ/ (General-American)
- /ˈʌntʊ/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (General-American) audio
- /ˈʌntə/ (General-American)
- /-tuː/ (General-American)
- /-tə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /-tuː/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English unto, from Old English *untō, *und tō, equivalent to un- (“against; toward; up to”) + to. Cognate with Old Frisian ont to ("until"; > Saterland Frisian antou (“until”)) (cf. Old Frisian und (“up to; till”), Old Frisian til (“till; to”)), Old Saxon untō, untuo (“until”), Old High German unze, unzi, unza (“until”), Old Norse und (“as far as; up to”), Gothic 𐌿𐌽𐍄𐌴 (untē, “until; as long as”).
Meanings
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(archaic, poetic) Up to; indicates a motion towards a thing and then stopping at it.
Come unto these yellow sands, And then take hands; Curtsied when you have, and kiss'd The wild waves whist, Foot it featly here and there, And sweet sprites bear The burthen.[…]
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:Sir Gawain rode unto the nearby castle.
-
(archaic, poetic) To; indicates an indirect object.
Again, whereas men affirm they perceive an addition of ponderosity in dead bodies, comparing them usually unto blocks and stones, whensoever they lift or carry them; this accessional preponderancy is rather in appearance than reality.
1650, Thomas Browne, Pseudodoxia Epidemica: […], 2nd edition, London: […] A[braham] Miller, for Edw[ard] Dod and Nath[aniel] Ekins, […], →OCLC:[…] And, doubtless, unto thee is given A life that bears immortal fruit In such great offices as suit The full-grown energies of heaven.
1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXXIX”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 61:So please my lord the duke and all the court To quit the fine for one half of his goods I am content; so he will let me have The other half in use, to render it, Upon his death, unto the gentleman That lately stole his daughter: Two things provided more,—[…]
c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:And the Lord said unto Moses […]
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(archaic, poetic) Down to the last; encompassing even every.
I do but sing because I must, And pipe but as the linnets sing: And unto one her note is gay, For now her little ones have ranged; And unto one her note is changed, Because her brood is stol’n away.
1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XXI”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 36:
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(archaic, poetic) Until a particular time.
faithful unto death
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| vnto | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic |
Deriveds
sickness unto death · unto the ages of ages · do unto others as you would have them do unto you · unto't · render unto Caesar · sick unto death · whereunto · like unto · go in unto · thereunto · do unto others · unto time · hitherunto · law unto oneself · unto itself · hereunto · sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof · set fire unto
Relateds
Translations (17)
de zu (up to) · eo al (to; indicates an indirect object) · fr jusqu'à (up to) · tr -e kadar (up to) · la sub (up to) · la usque (up to) · pl ku (to; indicates an indirect object) · pl do (up to) · de bis zu (up to) · pl do (to; indicates an indirect object) · la ad (up to) · tr -e doğru (up to) · ar إِلَى (up to) · mg tamin'ny (up to) · eo ĝis (up to) · pl ku (up to) · hi पर्यंत (up to)