different between already vs hitherto

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??l???di/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?l???di/
• (cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA^(key): /?l???di/
• Hyphenation: al?read?y

Etymology 1

From Middle English alredy, alredi, equivalent to al- +? ready. Compare Dutch alreeds (“already”), Afrikaans alreeds (“already”), Middle Low German alreide, alreids (“already”), Danish allerede (“already”), Swedish allaredan (“already”), Norwegian Nynorsk allereie (“already”). More at all, ready.

Adverb

already (not comparable)

1. Prior to some specified time, either past, present, or future; by this time; previously.

   I was surprised that she hadn’t already told me the news.

   Much of what he said I knew already.

   • It was already dusk, and the lamps were just being lighted as we paced up and down in front of Briony Lodge, waiting for the coming of its occupant.
2. So soon.

Usage notes

Already may be used with the present perfect (I have already done that), the past perfect (I had already done it by then), the future perfect (When you arrive, the business will already have been completed) or the simple future (When you arrive, the business will already be complete)."Already" and "all ready" do not mean the same thing. The two-word term can be used to mean "fully prepared".

Translations

Descendants

• ? Gulf Arabic: ?????? (orr?di)

See also

• yet

Etymology 2

Semantic loan from Yiddish ????? (shoyn).

Adverb

already (not comparable)

1. (US) An intensifier used to emphasize impatience or express exasperation.

Anagrams

• adlayer

English

Etymology

From Middle English hiderto, corresponding to hither +? to.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?h?ð??tu?/, /?h?ð??tu?/, [?h?ð??t?u?], [?h?ð??t?u?]
• (US) IPA^(key): /?h?ð??tu/, /?h?ð??tu/, [?h?ð??t?u], [?h?ð??t?u]

Adverb

hitherto (not comparable)

1. (formal, also law) Up to this or that time.

   Synonyms: up to now, heretofore; see also Thesaurus:hitherto

   Antonyms: from now on, henceforth; see also Thesaurus:henceforth

Related terms

• thitherto

Translations