Learn English – Meaning of the phrase “not until later” in context

meaning-in-context

It is from this video. It is at 1 minute and one second. Here is the context:

Jerry has just got a job as a junior stock broker and his boss invites him to have a drink after the 4 P.M. bell. He had a dinner date planned with his wife for her birthday, but that is not until a bit later and he figures he will be done by then.

Could you please rephrase the whose sentence for me? The phrase not until later really confuses me. Does Jerry realize that he will be done before his wife's birthday or after? He will be done later after what? Would it not be well just say Jerry had a dinner date planned with his wife for her birthday, but later he figures he will he done by then because he his boss invited for a drink? Or Jerry realizes that he will be done after he has a drink with his boss that he will be done by the beginning of the dinner with his wife?

Best Answer

"Later" should be understood in reference to "after the 4 PM bell". The boss has invited him to have a drink at a specific time; Jerry's dinner date with his wife occurs long enough after that point that he believes the drink with his boss will be over in time for him to make the date.

It might be clearer if we substitute a more specific time in place of "a bit later":

He had a dinner date planned... but that was not until 7 PM.

If you have a date planned for 7 PM, it's safe to assume that a 4 PM drink will not make you late.

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