to

[ too; unstressed too, tuh ]

See synonyms for to on Thesaurus.com

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.

Idioms about to

to and fro. fro (def. 2).

Origin of to

First recorded 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 t.o. (2 of 3)

t.o.

abbreviation

turnover.
turn over.

Other definitions for T.O. (3 of 3)

T.O.

abbreviation

telegraph office.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use to in a sentence

[T]o the best of our knowledge, we think [Tice] is in Syrian government custody.
Austin Tice, Believed Held by Assad Forces, Said Reporting in Syria Is ‘Greatest Feeling’ | Mike Giglio | October 3, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
to prove this, it will be proper t o weigh the five following considerations.
An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals | David Hume
He had already dreamed himself from a trail foreman to the majordomo of the A T O ranch.
Oh, You Tex! | William Macleod Raine
Moreover, he had a feeling that the owner of the A T O would resent any call to the soldiers for assistance.
Oh, You Tex! | William Macleod Raine
A lounger at the bar of the latter told the owner of the A T O that they had gone to the corral for their horses.
Oh, You Tex! | William Macleod Raine

I'll admit the T/O for generals isn't wide open but I'm sure we can compromise somewhere between three stripes and four stars.
And Then the Town Took Off | Richard Wilson

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 action: he climbed to the top
used to mark the indirect object of a verb in a sentence: telling stories to children

used to mark the infinitive of a verb: he wanted to go
as far as; until: working from Monday to Friday
used to indicate equality: 16 ounces to the pound
against; upon; onto: put your ear to the wall
before the hour of: five minutes to four
accompanied by: dancing to loud music
as compared with, as against: the score was eight to three
used to indicate a resulting condition: he 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

Origin of 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

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