24003
Probably a silly question, but in this sentence:

> 仕事ができなかったら **十日と待たずに** 解雇されるだろうと思う。

What does the と in 十日と待たずに mean? Is it the "if" と, e.g. "when/if 10 days pass,
I'd get fired without hesitation?". Shouldn't it say 十日だと (with the だ added)?

Thanks for the answers.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-28T16:52:56.987
24002
2015-04-28T18:09:36.517
2015-04-28T17:45:45.917
9960
question
grammar translation particle-と
In 十日と待たずに what does the と mean?
This sentence says "(I) will be fired _in no more than 10 days_."
`(time)と待たずに` is a common set phrase which literally means "without waiting
for (time)".

This と is not "if" nor "then". The role of と here corresponds to the sixth
entry of [デジタル大辞泉's
definition](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/leaf/jn2/154670/m0u/%E3%81%A8/).

> ６ （数量を表す語に付き、打消しの表現を伴って）その範囲以上には出ない意を表す。…までも。「全部で一〇〇円―かからない」「一〇〇キロ―走らなかった」
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-28T18:09:36.517
24003
2015-04-28T18:09:36.517
5010
24002
answer