to

[ too; unstressed too, tuh ]

/ tu; unstressed tʊ, tə /

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preposition

(used for expressing motion or direction toward a point, person, place, or thing approached and reached, as opposed to from): They came to the house.

(used for expressing direction or motion or direction toward something) in the direction of; toward: from north to south.

(used for expressing limit of movement or extension): He grew to six feet.

(used for expressing contact or contiguity) on; against; beside; upon: a right uppercut to the jaw; Apply varnish to the surface.

(used for expressing a point of limit in time) before; until: to this day; It is ten minutes to six. We work from nine to five.

(used for expressing aim, purpose, or intention): going to the rescue.

(used for expressing destination or appointed end): sentenced to jail.

(used for expressing agency, result, or consequence): to my dismay; The flowers opened to the sun.

(used for expressing a resulting state or condition): He tore it to pieces.

(used for expressing the object of inclination or desire): They drank to her health.

(used for expressing the object of a right or claim): claimants to an estate.

(used for expressing limit in degree, condition, or amount):wet to the skin; goods amounting to $1000; Tomorrow's high will be 75 to 80°.

(used for expressing addition or accompaniment) with: He added insult to injury. They danced to the music. Where is the top to this box?

(used for expressing attachment or adherence): She held to her opinion.

(used for expressing comparison or opposition): inferior to last year's crop; The score is eight to seven.

(used for expressing agreement or accordance) according to; by: a position to one's liking; to the best of my knowledge.

(used for expressing reference, reaction, or relation): What will he say to this?

(used for expressing a relative position): parallel to the roof.

(used for expressing a proportion of number or quantity) in; making up: 12 to the dozen; 20 miles to the gallon.

(used for indicating the indirect object of a verb, for connecting a verb with its complement, or for indicating or limiting the application of an adjective, noun, or pronoun): Give it to me. I refer to your work.

(used as the ordinary sign or accompaniment of the infinitive, as in expressing motion, direction, or purpose, in ordinary uses with a substantive object.)

Mathematics. raised to the power indicated: Three to the fourth is 81 (34= 81).

adverb

toward a point, person, place, or thing, implied or understood.

toward a contact point or closed position: Pull the door to.

toward a matter, action, or work: We turned to with a will.

into a state of consciousness; out of unconsciousness: after he came to.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "IS" VS. "ARE"

"Is" it time for a new quiz? "Are" you ready? Then prove your excellent skills on using "is" vs. "are."

Question 1 of 7

IS and ARE are both forms of which verb?

have

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about to

to and fro. fro (def. 2).

Origin of to

before 900; Middle English, Old English tō; cognate with Dutch te, toe,German zu

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH to

to , too, two

Other definitions for to (2 of 3)

t.o.

abbreviation

turnover.

turn over.

Other definitions for to (3 of 3)

T.O.

or TO

abbreviation

telegraph office.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use to in a sentence

Marvin takes off his T-shirt and dives into his swimming pool.
The Story Behind Lee Marvin’s Liberty Valance Smile|Robert Ward|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And so the “Glo-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-ria” in this number earns it a spot on my list.
Yes, I Like Christmas Music. Stop Laughing.|Michael Tomasky|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There was a handy distraction in the Che t-shirt the tourist was wearing while celebrating the death.
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind|Brin-Jonathan Butler|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Some of Dr. Stephen T. Colbert D.F.A.'s best moments behind the desk.
The Ultimate 'Colbert Report' Supercut|The Daily Beast Video|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST

He was standing on the corner and wearing only a T-shirt and jeans, and this was 11:30 at night and it was really cold.
Hunt for Iraq Vet After Killing Spree|M.L. Nestel|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sleek finds it far harder work than fortune-making; but he pursues his Will-o'-the-Wisp with untiring energy.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3)|Charles James Wills
There'll be heaps uh fun in the Cypress Hills country when they get t' runnin' the whisky-jacks out.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair
O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that hath peace in his possessions!
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
D'o l'on peut aussy veoir, quelle esperance il y a de planter une belle chrestient par tels evangelistes.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
That they may know thee, as we also have known thee, that there is no God beside thee, O Lord.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various

British Dictionary definitions for to (1 of 2)

to¹

/ (tuː, unstressed before a vowel tʊ, unstressed before a consonant tə) /

preposition

used to indicate the destination of the subject or object of an actionhe climbed to the top

used to mark the indirect object of a verb in a sentencetelling stories to children

used to mark the infinitive of a verbhe wanted to go

as far as; untilworking from Monday to Friday

used to indicate equality16 ounces to the pound

against; upon; ontoput your ear to the wall

before the hour offive minutes to four

accompanied bydancing to loud music

as compared with, as againstthe score was eight to three

used to indicate a resulting conditionhe tore her dress to shreds; they starved to death

a dialect word for at 1 he's to town; where's it to?

adverb

towards a fixed position, esp (of a door) closed

Word Origin for to

Old English tō; related to Old Frisian, Old Saxon to, Old High German zuo, Latin do- as in dōnec until

British Dictionary definitions for to (2 of 2)

to²

the internet domain name for

Tonga

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012