What does to mean?

Definitions for to
tu; unstressed tʊ, təto

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word to.


Did you actually mean toe or tod?

Wiktionary

  1. toadverb

    Toward a closed, touching or engaging position.

    Please would you push the door to.

  2. toadverb

    Into the wind.

  3. topreposition

    In the direction of, and arriving at.

    We are walking to the shop.

  4. topreposition

    at

    Stay where you're to and I'll come find you, b'y.

  5. topreposition

    Indicating destination: In the direction of, and arriving at.

    We are walking to the shop.

  6. topreposition

    Used to indicate the target or recipient of an action.

    I gave the book to him.

  7. topreposition

    Used to indicate result of action.

    His face was beaten to a pulp.

  8. topreposition

    Used to indicate a resulting feeling or emotion.

    To everyone's great relief, the tuneless carol singers finally ceased their warbling.

  9. topreposition

    Used after an adjective to indicate its application.

    similar to..., relevant to..., pertinent to..., I was nice to him, he was cruel to her, I am used to walking.

  10. topreposition

    Denotes the end of a range.

    It takes 2 to 4 weeks to process typical applications.

  11. topreposition

    As a.

    With God to friend;   with The Devil to fiend;   lambs slaughtered to lake;   took her to wife;   was sold to slave.

  12. topreposition

    Used to indicate a ratio or comparison.

    one to one = 1:1

  13. topreposition

    Used to indicate that the preceding term is to be raised to the power of the following value; indicates exponentiation.

    Three squared or three to the second power is nine.

  14. topreposition

    Preceding.

    ten to ten = 9:50; We're going to leave at ten to.

  15. topreposition

    Used to describe what something consists of or contains.

    Anyone could do this job; there's nothing to it.

  16. topreposition

    ) At.

    Stay where you're to and I'll come find you, b'y.

  17. Etymology: From Middle English to ("to"), from Old English tō ("to"), from Proto-Germanic *tō, *ta ("to"), from Proto-Indo-European *de, *do ("to"). Cognate with Scots tae, to ("to"), North Frisian to, tö, tu ("to"), Saterland Frisian tou ("to"), Low German to ("to"), Dutch toe ("to"), German zu ("to"), West Frisian ta ("to"). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian ndaj ("towards"), Irish do ("to, for"), Breton da ("to, for"), Welsh i ("to, for"), Russian до (do, " to").

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Toadverb

    Etymology: to , Saxon; te, Dutch.

    The delay of our hopes teaches us to mortify our desires. George Smalridge.

    Ambitious fool! with horny hoofs to pass
    O’er hollow arches of resounding brass,
    To rival thunder. John Dryden, Æn.

    She rais’d a war
    In Italy, to call me back. John Dryden, All for Love.

    Urg’d by despair, again I go to try
    The fate of arms, resolv’d in fight to die. Dryden.

    I have done my utmost to lead my life so pleasantly as to forget all misfortunes. Alexander Pope.

    We ready are to try our fortunes
    To the last man. William Shakespeare, Henry IV. p. ii.

    The lawless sword his childrens blood shall shed,
    Increast for slaughter, born to beg their bread. George Sandys.

    It is not blood and bones that can be conscious of their own hardness and redness; and we are still to seek for something else in our frame that receives those impressions. Richard Bentley.

    Ismay binds and looseth souls condemn’d to woe,
    And sends the devils on errands to and fro. Edward Fairfax, b. ii.

    The spirits perverse
    With easy intercourse pass to and fro,
    To tempt or punish mortals. John Milton.

    Dress it not till the seventh day, and then move the joint to and fro. Richard Wiseman, Surgery.

    Masses of marble, originally beat off from the strata of the neighbouring rocks, rolled to and again till they were rounded to the form of pebbles. John Woodward, on Fossils.

    The winds in distant regions blow,
    Moving the world of waters to and fro. Addison.

  2. Topreposition.

    With that she to him afresh, and surely would have put out his eyes. Philip Sidney, b. ii.

    Tybalt fled;
    But by and by comes back to Romeo,
    And to ’t they go like light’ning. William Shakespeare.

    Give not over so; to him again, intreat him,
    Kneel down before him. William Shakespeare, Meas. for Measure.

    She’s coming; to her coz. William Shakespeare.

    I’ll to him again in the name of Brook; he’ll tell me all his purpose. William Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor.

    I’ll to the woods among the happier brutes:
    Come, let’s away. Smith.

    Thus they with sacred thought
    Mov’d on in silence to soft pipes. John Milton, Par. Lost, b. i.

    To you, my noble lord of Westmorland.
    ———— I pledge your grace. William Shakespeare, Henry V.

    Here’s to you all, gentlemen, and let him that’s good-natur’d in his drink pledge me. John Denham, Sophy.

    Now, to you, Raymond: can you guess no reason
    Why I repose such confidence in you? Dryden.

    Turn out, you rogue! how like a beast you lie:
    Go buckle to the law. John Dryden, Juvenal.

    Sir Roger’s kindness extends to their childrens children. Addison.

    Wisdom he has, and to his wisdom courage;
    Temper to that, and unto all success. John Denham, Sophy.

    Take you some company and away to horse. William Shakespeare.

    He sent his coachman’s grandchild to prentice. Addison.

    No foe unpunish’d in the fighting field,
    Shall dare thee foot to foot with sword and shield. Dryden.

    There were to the number of three hundred horse, and as many thousand foot English. Francis Bacon, War with Spain.

    Enoch whose days were, though many in respect of ours, yet scarce as three to nine in comparison of theirs with whom he lived. Richard Hooker, b. iv.

    With these bars against me,
    And yet to win her ———— all the world to nothing. William Shakespeare.

    Twenty to one offend more in writing too much than too little; even as twenty to one fall into sickness rather by overmuch fulness than by any lack. Roger Ascham, Schoolmaster.

    The burial must be by the smallness of the proportion as fifty to one; or it must be holpen by somewhat which may fix the silver never to be restored when it is incorporated. Francis Bacon, Physical Remains.

    With a funnel filling bottles; to their capacity they will all be full. Ben Jonson.

    Physicians have two women patients to one man. John Graunt.

    When an ambassador is dispatched to any foreign state, he shall be allowed to the value of a shilling a day. Addison.

    Among the ancients the weight of oil was to that of wine as nine to ten. John Arbuthnot, on Coins.

    Supposing them to have an equal share, the odds will be three to one on their side. Jonathan Swift.

    Still a greater difficulty upon translators rises from the peculiarities every language hath to itself. Henry Felton.

    The flow’r itself is glorious to behold,
    Sharp to the taste. John Dryden, Virgil.

    I trust, I may not trust thee; for thy word
    Is but the vain breath of a common man:
    Believe me, I do not believe thee, man;
    I have a king’s oath to the contrary. William Shakespeare, King John.

    All that they did was piety to this. Ben Jonson.

    There is no fool to the sinner, who every moment ventures his soul. John Tillotson.

    Some Americans, otherwise of quick parts, could not count to one thousand, nor had any distinct idea of it, though they could reckon very well to twenty. John Locke.

    Coffee exhales in roasting to the abatement of near one-fourth of its weight. John Arbuthnot, on Aliments.

    This the consul sees, yet this man lives!
    Partakes the publick cares; and with his eye
    Marks and points out each man of us to slaughter. B. Joh.

    Draw thy sword in right.
    I’ll draw it as apparent to the crown,
    And in that quarrel use it to the death. William Shakespeare.

    Fate and the dooming gods are deaf to tears. Dryden.

    All were attentive to the godlike man,
    When from his lofty couch he thus began. Dryden.

    Almanzor is taxed with changing sides, and what tie has he on him to the contrary: he is not born their subject, and he is injured by them to a very high degree. Dryden.

    He’s walk’d the way of nature;
    And to our purposes he lives no more. William Shakespeare.

    The effects of such a division are pernicious to the last degree, not only with regard to those advantages which they give the common enemy, but to those private evils which they produce in every particular. Joseph Addison, Spect. №. 125.

    Factions carried too high are much to the prejudice of the authority of princes. Francis Bacon.

    Under how hard a fate are women born,
    Priz’d to their ruin, or expos’d to scorn! Edmund Waller.

    Thus, to their fame, when finish’d was the fight,
    The victors from their lofty steeds alight. Dryden.

    Oh frail estate of human things,
    Now to our cost your emptiness we know. Dryden.

    A British king obliges himself by oath to execute justice in mercy, and not to exercise either to the total exclusion of the other. Addison.

    It must be confessed to the reproach of human nature, that this is but too just a picture of itself. William Broome, Odyssey.

    She stretch’d her arms to heav’n. Dryden.

    She still beareth him an invincible hatred, and revileth him to his face. Jonathan Swift.

    He was wounded transverse the temporal muscle, and bleeding almost to death. Richard Wiseman.

    By the disorder in the retreat great numbers were crowded to death. Edward Hyde.

    Ingenious to their ruin, ev’ry age
    Improves the act and instruments of rage. Edmund Waller.

    To prevent the aspersion of the Roman majesty, the offender was whipt to death. Dryden.

    The abuse reigns chiefly in the country, as I found to my vexation when I was last there in a visit I made to a neighbour. Jonathan Swift.

    I read my ruin in ev’ry cringing bow and fawning smile.
    Why with malignant elogies encrease
    The peoples fears, and praise me to my ruin? Smith.

    Give me some wine; fill full.
    I drink to th’ general joy of the whole table,
    And to our dear friend Banquo. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

    Had the methods of education been directed to their right end, this so necessary could not have been neglected. John Locke.

    Many of them have exposed to the world the private misfortunes of families. Alexander Pope.

    This weather-glass was so placed in the cavity of a small receiver, that only the slender part of the pipe, to the height of four inches, remained exposed to the open air. Boyle.

    Tell her thy brother languishes to death. Addison.

    A crow though hatched under a hen, and who never has seen any of the works of its kind, makes its nest the same, to the laying of a stick with all the nests of that species. Addison.

    If he employs his abilities to the best advantage, the time will come when the supreme governour of the world shall proclaim his worth before men and angels. Joseph Addison, Spect.

    Banquo, thy soul’s flight,
    If it find heav’n must find it out to night. William Shakespeare.

    To day they chas’d the boar. Thomas Otway.

    This ought rather to be called a full purpose of committing sin to day, than a resolution of leaving it to morrow. Edmund Calamy.

    To morrow, and to morrow, and to morrow,
    Creeps in this petty pace from day to day;
    And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
    The way to dusky death. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

    The father of Solomon’s house will have private conference with one of you the next day after to morrow. Francis Bacon.

    To day is ours, why do we fear?
    To day is ours, we have it here;
    Let’s banish bus’ness, banish sorrow,
    To the gods belongs to morrow. Abraham Cowley.

    To morrow will deliver all her charms
    Into my arms, and make her mine for ever. Dryden.

    For what to morrow shall disclose,
    May spoil what you to night propose:
    England may change, or Cloe stray;
    Love and life are for to day. Matthew Prior.

Wikipedia

  1. Pagodas in Japan are called tō (塔, lit. pagoda), sometimes buttō (仏塔, lit. Buddhist pagoda) or tōba (塔婆, lit. pagoda) and historically derive from the Chinese pagoda, itself an interpretation of the Indian stupa. Like the stupa, pagodas were originally used as reliquaries but in many cases they ended up losing this function. Pagodas are quintessentially Buddhist and an important component of Japanese Buddhist temple compounds but, because until the Kami and Buddhas Separation Act of 1868, a Shinto shrine was normally also a Buddhist temple and vice versa, they are not rare at shrines either. The famous Itsukushima Shrine, for example, has one.After the Meiji Restoration the word tō, once used exclusively in a religious context, came to mean also "tower" in the western sense, as for example in Eiffel tower (エッフェル塔, Efferu-tō). Of the Japanese pagoda's many forms, some are built in wood and are collectively known as mokutō (木塔, lit. wood pagoda), but most are carved out of stone (sekitō (石塔, lit. stone pagoda). Wood pagodas are large buildings with either two stories (like the tahōtō (多宝塔, lit. Tahō pagoda), see photo below) or an odd number of stories. Extant wood pagodas with more than two storeys have almost always either three stories (and are therefore called sanjū-no-tō (三重塔, lit. three-storeyed pagoda)) or five (and are called gojū-no-tō (五重塔, lit. five-storeyed pagoda). Stone pagodas are nearly always small, usually well below 3 metres, and as a rule offer no usable space. If they have more than one storey, pagodas are called tasōtō (多層塔, lit. multi-storied pagoda) or tajūtō (多重塔, lit. multi-storied pagoda). A pagoda's size is measured in ken, where a ken is the interval between two pillars of a traditional-style building. A tahōtō for example can be either 5x5 ken or 3x3 ken. The word is usually translated in English as "bay" and is better understood as an indication of proportions than as a unit of measurement.

ChatGPT

  1. to

    "To" can be defined as a preposition used to indicate direction, position, or location in relation to something or someone. It is commonly used to specify a destination, target, or point of contact. Additionally, "to" can also be used to express a relationship, purpose, or intention.

  2. To

    To is a preposition that is used to indicate direction, destination, or purpose. It often precedes a verb to specify the action or the intended recipient of an action. It can also indicate a specific time or a limit in terms of reaching a certain point or condition.

Webster Dictionary

  1. To

    the preposition to primarily indicates approach and arrival, motion made in the direction of a place or thing and attaining it, access; and also, motion or tendency without arrival; movement toward; -- opposed to from

  2. To

    hence, it indicates motion, course, or tendency toward a time, a state or condition, an aim, or anything capable of being regarded as a limit to a tendency, movement, or action; as, he is going to a trade; he is rising to wealth and honor

  3. To

    in a very general way, and with innumerable varieties of application, to connects transitive verbs with their remoter or indirect object, and adjectives, nouns, and neuter or passive verbs with a following noun which limits their action. Its sphere verges upon that of for, but it contains less the idea of design or appropriation; as, these remarks were addressed to a large audience; let us keep this seat to ourselves; a substance sweet to the taste; an event painful to the mind; duty to God and to our parents; a dislike to spirituous liquor

  4. To

    as sign of the infinitive, to had originally the use of last defined, governing the infinitive as a verbal noun, and connecting it as indirect object with a preceding verb or adjective; thus, ready to go, i.e., ready unto going; good to eat, i.e., good for eating; I do my utmost to lead my life pleasantly. But it has come to be the almost constant prefix to the infinitive, even in situations where it has no prepositional meaning, as where the infinitive is direct object or subject; thus, I love to learn, i.e., I love learning; to die for one's country is noble, i.e., the dying for one's country. Where the infinitive denotes the design or purpose, good usage formerly allowed the prefixing of for to the to; as, what went ye out for see? (Matt. xi. 8)

  5. To

    in many phrases, and in connection with many other words, to has a pregnant meaning, or is used elliptically

  6. To

    extent; limit; degree of comprehension; inclusion as far as; as, they met us to the number of three hundred

  7. To

    effect; end; consequence; as, the prince was flattered to his ruin; he engaged in a war to his cost; violent factions exist to the prejudice of the state

  8. To

    apposition; connection; antithesis; opposition; as, they engaged hand to hand

  9. To

    accord; adaptation; as, an occupation to his taste; she has a husband to her mind

  10. To

    comparison; as, three is to nine as nine is to twenty-seven; it is ten to one that you will offend him

  11. To

    addition; union; accumulation

  12. To

    accompaniment; as, she sang to his guitar; they danced to the music of a piano

  13. To

    character; condition of being; purpose subserved or office filled

Wikidata

  1. to

    .to is the Internet country code top-level domain of the island kingdom of Tonga. The government of Tonga sells domains in its ccTLD to any interested party. Because to is a common English preposition, it became popular to craft memorable URLs called domain hacks that take advantage of this; URL shortening/redirection services are a popular use. Other domain hacks which do not use the to as a preposition include Daniel J. Bernstein's website cr.yp.to, London web development company Potato p.ota.to, and uploading services like uloz.to. The .to ccTLD is administered by the Tonga Network Information Center. The city of Toronto, in Ontario, Canada, has TO as its nickname. Therefore, the .to extension is used by some small businesses located in Toronto, despite Canada's own .ca. As the .to domains are paid for, all normal DNS operations are possible and registered sites are not required to display ads on behalf of the registrar. Some domains are free, like .edu.to, but only to real Tongan educational institutions. At this moment businesses registered in Tonga can also get free domains. People who sell on .to domains can claim a bonus.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. To

    tōō, prep. in the direction of: in order to: as far as; in accordance with, in the character of: regarding, concerning, in connection with: expressing the end or purpose of an action, as in many uses of the gerundial infinitive, the sign of the infinitive mood: (B.) sometimes=for.—adv. to a place in view, forward: to its place, together.—To and fro, backwards and forwards. [A.S. ; Ger. zu, Goth. du.]

Editors Contribution

  1. to

    A known and forming word.

    They went to the house for salad and then went to the gym.


    Submitted by MaryC on February 16, 2020  

Suggested Resources

  1. To

    To vs. Too -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words To and Too.

  2. To

    To vs. Too -- In this Grammar.com article you will learn the differences between the words To and Too.

Surnames Frequency by Census Records

  1. TO

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, To is ranked #3979 in terms of the most common surnames in America.

    The To surname appeared 8,934 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 would have the surname To.

    95% or 8,493 total occurrences were Asian.
    1.9% or 175 total occurrences were White.
    1.3% or 122 total occurrences were of two or more races.
    1.2% or 114 total occurrences were of Hispanic origin.

British National Corpus

  1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'to' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #6

  2. Written Corpus Frequency

    Rank popularity for the word 'to' in Written Corpus Frequency: #8

How to pronounce to?

How to say to in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of to in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of to in Pythagorean Numerology is: 8

Popularity rank by frequency of use

to#1#4#10000

Translations for to

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

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    a convex shape that narrows toward a point
    A brashness
    B taper
    C impounding
    D cazique

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