Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- conjunction Except on the condition that; except under the circumstances that.
- preposition Except for; except.
from The Century Dictionary.
- If it be not that; if it be not the case that; were it not the fact that; if … not; supposing that … not.
- For fear that; in case; lest.
- [By omission of a verb, implied in the context, unless may have the force of ‘except,’ ‘but for’: as
- Synonyms Except, Unless. Except could once be used as a synonym for unless, but the words have now drawn entirely apart. Unless is only a conjunction; except is only a preposition. Except introduces an exception to a statement which is otherwise general: it may be followed by a clause when connection is made by a particle, as when, that, as, while, or especially another preposition: the omission of such connective makes the structure archaic. Unless introduces a clause, or the abbreviation of a clause, indicating a limitation or condition.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- conjunction Upon any less condition than (the fact or thing stated in the sentence or clause which follows); if not; supposing that not; if it be not; were it not that; except.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- conjunction
Except on aspecified condition ;if not .
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word unless.
Examples
-
You continue thus to deal out the entire pack in successive rows, each row completely blocking the preceding one unless the removal of a card releases the one above it, or _unless the removal of cards in the upper rows_ (Rule II) releases that card from above.
Lady Cadogan's Illustrated Games of Solitaire or Patience New Revised Edition, including American Games Adelaide Cadogan
-
The most important formality in English law, in making contracts for the sale of goods, with which a broker must comply, in order to make the contract legally enforceable by his principal against the third party, is contained in section 4 of the Sale of Goods Act 1893, which (in substance re-enacting section 17 of the Statute of Frauds) provides as follows: -- "A contract for the sale of any goods of the value of ten pounds or upwards shall not be enforceable by action unless the buyer shall accept part of the goods as sold, and actually receive the same, or give something in earnest to bind the contract, or in part payment, or _unless some note or memorandum in writing of the contract be made and signed by the party to be charged or his agent in that behalf_."
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 "Brescia" to "Bulgaria" Various
-
unless shaking your boobage, pouting your lips, and giving faintly dead eye stares is acting, Scarlett Johannsson needs to find another line of work..unless its with Woody Allen because the man can take a talentless hack and make her an Oscar winner Mira Sorvino anyone?
-
a couple of minutes over his financial affairs, unless, _unless_, as you foresaw might happen, he had need of a large lump sum.
The Blotting Book 1903
-
The conjunctions _if, though, unless, except, whether_, and _lest_, are generally signs of the _Subjunctive_; as, "_If_ I _love; unless_ I
English Grammar in Familiar Lectures Samuel Kirkham
-
I say this because it's not often we hear anyone use the term unless they are asking someone else to say it to them.
Agi Smith: Why Don't People Say 'I'm Sorry'? Agi Smith 2012
-
I say this because it's not often we hear anyone use the term unless they are asking someone else to say it to them.
Agi Smith: Why Don't People Say 'I'm Sorry'? Agi Smith 2012
-
Avoid the term unless it is in a direct quote, and then define it.
Essential Guide to Business Style and Usage PAUL R. MARTIN 2002
-
Avoid the term unless it is in a direct quote, and then define it.
Essential Guide to Business Style and Usage PAUL R. MARTIN 2002
-
I can't explain why this happened, but it's a huge opportunity for anyone in the 'silver' bracket who's fed up and wants to create a blog or newspaper column so everyone else will know about it but don't use "Fed Up" as your title unless you want a complete set of Rick Perry's teeth marks in your rear end.
Jeffrey Shaffer: Cranky Is Forever Jeffrey Shaffer 2011
gangerh commented on the word unless
Derives, I read, from the words 'upon less' and has nothing to do with the prefix 'un'.
March 8, 2008
MikeyC commented on the word unless
When used with a negative verb, it means "if it is not the case that it is not the case", which, as Prof GK Pullum has pointed out, is a brainful. e.g. sentence "Unless Mary doesn’t study, she will pass". Ouch!
June 30, 2009
MikeyC commented on the word unless
Edit of yesterday's post:
When used with a negative verb, it means "if it is not the case that it is not the case", which, as Prof GK Pullum has pointed out to me, is a brainful. e.g. sentence "Unless Mary doesn't study, she will pass". Ouch!
July 1, 2009