toward
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
English
Etymology
From Middle English toward, from Old English tōweard, from Proto-West Germanic *tōward, equivalent to to + -ward. Cognate with Middle Low German tôwart, Middle Dutch toewaert (Modern Dutch toewaarts), Middle High German zuowart, zūwart (Modern German zuwärts). Compare also Middle English tilward, tillward (“toward”).
Pronunciation
- (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /təˈwɔːd/
- (General American) IPA(key): /tɔɹd/, /ˈtwɔɹd/, /təˈwɔɹd/
- (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA(key): /to(ː)ɹd/, /ˈtwo(ː)ɹd/, /təˈwɔɹd/
- (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA(key): /toəd/, /ˈtwoəd/, /təˈwɔd/
- (New Zealand) IPA(key): /tɘˈwoːd/
- Rhymes: -ɔː(ɹ)d
- Hyphenation: to‧ward
Preposition
toward (now chiefly US)
- In the direction of.
- She moved toward the door.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Numbers 24:1:
- [A]Nd when Balaam ſawe that it pleaſed the LORD to bleſſe Iſrael, hee went not, as at other times to ſeeke foꝛ inchantments, but hee ſet his face toward the wilderneſſe.
- 1914 November, Louis Joseph Vance, “An Outsider […]”, in Munsey’s Magazine, volume LIII, number II, New York, N.Y.: The Frank A[ndrew] Munsey Company, […], published 1915, →OCLC, chapter III (Accessory After the Fact), page 382, column 1:
- Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.
- 2019, Voice of America, Learning English (public domain), archived from the original on 2019-03-11:
- In relation to (someone or something).
- What are your feelings toward him?
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 28:54:
- So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye ſhalbe euill toward his bꝛother, and toward the wife of his boſome, and towards the remnant of his childꝛen which he ſhall leaue:
- For the purpose of attaining (an aim).
- I'm saving money toward retirement.
- Located close to; near (a time or place).
- Our place is over toward the station.
- a. 1746 (date written), Jonathan Swift, “To Mr. Gay”, in Thomas Sheridan, John Nichols, editors, The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, […], new edition, volume XII, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […], published 1801, →OCLC, page 92:
- I am toward nine years older since I left you, yet that is the least of my alterations; […]
Usage notes
- Although some have tried to discern a semantic distinction between the words toward and towards, the only difference in practice is dialectal. Toward is more common in American English and towards is more common in British English, though each form may be found in both varieties.
Alternative forms
Antonyms
Derived terms
Translations
in the direction of
|
in relation to
|
for the purpose of
|
located near
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Adjective
toward (not comparable)
- Yielding, pliant; docile; ready or apt to learn; not froward.
- (dated) Approaching, coming near; impending; present, at hand.
- c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v], page 304, column 1:
- Do you heare ought (Sir) of a Battell toward.
- 1843 April, Thomas Carlyle, “Practical Devotional”, in Past and Present, American edition, Boston, Mass.: Charles C[offin] Little and James Brown, published 1843, →OCLC, book II (The Ancient Monk), page 70:
- On the morrow, after mass, our Lord Abbot [w:Samson of Tottington] orders the Cellerarius to send off his carpenters to demolish the said structure brevi manu, and lay up the wood in safe keeping. Old Dean Herbert, hearing what was toward, comes tottering along hither, to plead humbly for himself and his mill.
- (obsolete or archaic) Promising, likely.
- c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii], page 154, column 2:
- Clif[ford] Why that is ſpoken like a toward Prince.
- 1726 October 28, [Jonathan Swift], “A Description of the Farmer’s Daughter. […]”, in Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. […] [Gulliver’s Travels], volume I, London: […] Benj[amin] Motte, […], →OCLC, part II (A Voyage to Brobdingnag), page [178]:
- My Miſtreſs had a Daughter of nine Years old, a Child of toward Parts for her Age, very dextrous at her Needle, and ſkilful in dreſſing her Baby.
- (obsolete) Future; to-come.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, page 238:
- But ear that wiſhed day his beame diſcloſd, / He either enuying my toward good, / Or of him ſelfe to treaſon ill diſpoſd / One day vnto me came in friendly mood, / And told for ſecret how he vnderſtood / […]
Synonyms
- (future): coming; see also Thesaurus:future
- (approaching): imminent, in the offing, proximate; see also Thesaurus:impending
Antonyms
Derived terms
Further reading
- “toward”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
- “toward”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
Anagrams
Middle English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Old English tōweard, tōwærd; equivalent to to + -ward.
Preposition
toward
- In the direction of; toward.
- 1387–1400, [Geoffrey] Chaucer, “The [Clerkys] Tale [of Oxenford]”, in The Tales of Caunt́bury (Hengwrt Chaucer; Peniarth Manuscript 392D), Aberystwyth, Ceredigion: National Library of Wales, published [c. 1400–1410], →OCLC, folio 184, verso, lines 783-784:
- Toward Saluces / shapyng hir iourney / ffro day to day / they ryden in hir wey […]
- Towards Saluzzo they make their journey, / From day to day they ride on their way […]
- Into the presence of.
- In proximity to; near, by.
- In an exchange or communication with; to.
- c. 1190 - 1215, Layamon, Laȝamon's Brut
- Þe while þe he spac touward Goden.
- (please add an English translation of this quotation)
- c. 1190 - 1215, Layamon, Laȝamon's Brut
- Having a wont or tendency towards.
- Similar to.
- Subject to; under the control of.
- Useful for; prepared for.
Derived terms
Descendants
- English: toward
Adjective
toward
- Future, forthcoming; to come.
- Near at hand; imminent, nigh.
- Moving forth.
- of goodwill, benevolent; well-tempered, gentle.
Related terms
Descendants
- English: toward
Adverb
toward
Derived terms
Related terms
References
- “toward, prep.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 15 April 2018.
- “toward, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 15 April 2018.
- “toward, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 15 April 2018.
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