Theretofore
adv ·Common ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 Until that time. formal
"Þæt wolde ðyncan wundorlic ælcum men þe on Englalande wæs, gif ænig man ær þam sæde þæt hit swa gewurþan sceolde, for ðam þe he wæs ær to þam swyðe up ahafen swylce he weolde þæs cynges ⁊ ealles Englalandes, ⁊ his sunan wæron eorlas, ⁊ þæs cynges dyrlingas, ⁊ his dohtor þæm cynge beweddod ⁊ beæwnod."
- 2 Before that. formal
- 1 up to that time wordnet
Example
More examples"Þæt wolde ðyncan wundorlic ælcum men þe on Englalande wæs, gif ænig man ær þam sæde þæt hit swa gewurþan sceolde, for ðam þe he wæs ær to þam swyðe up ahafen swylce he weolde þæs cynges ⁊ ealles Englalandes, ⁊ his sunan wæron eorlas, ⁊ þæs cynges dyrlingas, ⁊ his dohtor þæm cynge beweddod ⁊ beæwnod."
Etymology
From Middle English ther-to-fore, þeretofore, þer to-fore, þer toforn, þær toforen, from Old English þǣr tōforan, equivalent to there + tofore.
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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.