1  definition  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Unless  \Un*less"\,  conj.  [Formerly,  onles,  onlesse  onlesse 
  that  that  is  in  less  in  a  less  case.  See  {On},  and 
  {Less}.] 
  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;  as  we  shall 
  fail  unless  we  are  industrious. 
 
  Note:  By  the  omission  of  the  verb  in  the  dependent  clause, 
  unless  was  frequently  used  prepositionally,  --  a 
  construction  common  in  Shakespeare  and  still  employed 
  colloquially. 
 
  Here  nothing  breeds  unless  the  nightly  owl. 
  --Shak. 

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