hitherto

/ˌhɪðəˈtuː/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌhɪðərˈtuː/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhi-t͟hər-ˌtü ˌhi-t͟hər-ˈtü/ (ame, mw)

hitherto — adverb

1. continuing from earlier times to the present, or to another time already mention

1.副詞C2
釋義

continuing from earlier times to the present, or to another time already mentioned.

例句

Hitherto, the village has had no doctor of its own.

sentence adverb for a condition continuing up to now

Adaeze had hitherto kept the recipe secret from her cousins.

mid-position after had in a formal style

同義詞
  • so far

    more conversational and usually tied to the present, not to a past reference point

  • until then

    used when the end point is clearly in the past

  • previously

    less formal and often just points back to an earlier time rather than stressing a period up to a limit

反義詞
  • afterward

    moves the time reference to what comes later

  • from now on

    starts from the present and points forward

文法句型

hitherto + clause

have/had + hitherto + past participle

hitherto + past participle + noun

用法筆記

Mostly used in formal writing and often placed before a clause or before a past participle such as unknown, hidden, or unseen. It can point either to the present moment or to an earlier time already established in the sentence.

常見錯誤

❌The hitherto manager signed the letter.
✅The former manager signed the letter.
💡hitherto is an adverb, so it does not normally work as a plain adjective before a noun.
❌Hitherto Monday, the shop stayed closed.
✅Until Monday, the shop stayed closed.
💡hitherto usually refers to a period up to a point, not to a bare date phrase.