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since - 7 dictionary results

since

  [sins]
Use since in a Sentence
–adverb
1. from then till now (often prec. by ever): He was elected in 1978 and has been president ever since.
2. between a particular past time and the present; subsequently: She at first refused, but has since consented.
3. ago; before now: long since.
–preposition
4. continuously from or counting from: It has been warm since noon.
5. between a past time or event and the present: There have been many changes since the war.
–conjunction
6. in the period following the time when: He has written once since he left.
7. continuously from or counting from the time when: He has been busy since he came.
8. because; inasmuch as: Since you're already here, you might as well stay.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME syns, sinnes (adv.) thereupon, afterwards, ME sithenes (adv. and conj.) afterwards, from (the specified time), because, equiv. to sithen after that, since (OE siththan, orig. sīth thām after that; see sith ) + -es -s 1

Synonyms:
8. See because.

Usage note:
8. See as 1 .
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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since   (sĭns)   
adv.  
  1. From then until now or between then and now: They left town and haven't been here since.
  2. Before now; ago: a name long since forgotten.
  3. After some point in the past; at a subsequent time: My friend has since married and moved to California.
prep.  
  1. Continuously from: They have been friends since childhood.
  2. Intermittently from: She's been skiing since childhood.
conj.  
  1. During the period subsequent to the time when: He hasn't been home since he graduated.
  2. Continuously from the time when: They have been friends ever since they were in grade school.
  3. Inasmuch as; because: Since you're not interested, I won't tell you about it.

[Middle English sinnes, contraction of sithenes : sithen, since (from Old English siththan : sīth, after + than variant of thām, dative of thæt, that; see that) + -es, adv. suff.; see -s3.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Since

Since\ (s[i^]ns), adv. [For sins, contr. fr. OE. sithens, sithenes, formed by an adverbial ending (cf. Besides) from OE. sithen, also shortened into sithe, sin, AS. si[eth][eth]an, sy[eth][eth]an, seo[eth][eth]an, afterward, then, since, after; properly, after that; fr. s[=i][eth] after, later, adv. and prep. (originally a comparative adv., akin to OS. s[=i][eth] afterward, since, OHG. s[=i]d, G. seit since, Goth. sei[thorn]us late, ni [thorn]anasei[thorn]s no longer) + [eth]on instrumental of the demonstrative and article. See That.]

1. From a definite past time until now; as, he went a month ago, and I have not seen him since. [1913 Webster]

We since become the slaves to one man's lust. --B. Jonson.

2. In the time past, counting backward from the present; before this or now; ago.

How many ages since has Virgil writ? --Roscommon.

About two years since, it so fell out, that he was brought to a great lady's house. --Sir P. Sidney.

3. When or that. [Obs.]

Do you remember since we lay all night in the windmill in St. George's field? --Shak.

Since

Since\, prep. From the time of; in or during the time subsequent to; subsequently to; after; -- usually with a past event or time for the object.

The Lord hath blessed thee, since my coming. --Gen. xxx. 30.

I have a model by which he build a nobler poem than any extant since the ancients. --Dryden.

Since

Since\, conj. Seeing that; because; considering; -- formerly followed by that.

Since that my penitence comes after all, Imploring pardon. --Shak.

Since truth and constancy are vain, Since neither love, nor sense of pain, Nor force of reason, can persuade, Then let example be obeyed. --Granville.

Syn: Because; for; as; inasmuch as; considering. See Because.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : since
Spanish: desde que,
German: seit,
Japanese: ～以来ずっと
More Translations »

since 
c.1450, synnes, from sithenes "since," from sithen (plus adverbial genitive -es), from O.E. siððan "then, later, after that," originally sið ðan "after that," from sið "after" + ðan, weakened form of ðam, dative of ðæt (see that). Modern spelling replaced syns, synnes 16c. to indicate voiceless final -s- sound. O.E. sið is from PIE *se- "long, late" (cf. Ger. seit "since," Goth. seiþus "late," Skt. sayam "in the evening," L. serus "late").
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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since

see greatest thing since sliced bread.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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