Till

Till is a multi-sense word in English with several related but distinct uses. As a preposition or conjunction, it signals up to a point in time or quantity, roughly equivalent to until. For example, We will wait till five o'clock. In formal writing, many style guides prefer until, but till is widely used in everyday speech and journalism. A related form, ’til, is a common contraction of until, though some authorities regard it as informal.

As a verb, till means to till the soil: to cultivate, plow, and prepare land for planting. The practice of tillage involves turning and breaking up soil, mixing in organic matter, and creating a suitable seed bed. Tilling is a fundamental agricultural activity and can be done with various implements, from hoes to tractors. The noun form till is sometimes used to refer to the act itself, though more often the process is described as tillage.

As a noun, till can refer to a cash register or money drawer used in retail settings. The till holds coins and banknotes and is used to balance cash at the end of a work shift. In historical or literary contexts, till may also denote a place or chest that stores money. This sense is more common in British English, while American English frequently uses “cash register” for the same object, though the word till remains understood.

Origin notes can vary by sense. The prepositional sense derives from Old English and Germanic roots meaning toward or up to. The verb sense to cultivate soil has ancient Germanic origins. The noun sense for a money drawer is a distinct usage that appears in English over several centuries. Together, these senses reflect the word’s long and varied history in English.