# to

Pronunciation: say "TOO" US /tu/, UK /tuː/

## Particle

1. Used before a verb to mark it as an infinitive, or on its own in place of an infinitive already understood ('She meant to phone but forgot to').
   - Simple: Used before a verb, as in 'to go', or alone when the verb is already clear, as in 'I meant to.'
   - _He knew exactly what to say._
   - _There are letters to write and calls to make._
3. Used before a verb to express purpose, meaning 'in order to'.
   - Simple: Used before a verb to say why something is done, meaning 'in order to'.
   - _She saved every penny she earned to buy her own car._
   - _The farmer built a fence to keep the deer out._
13. Used after be to say what is planned or arranged, what someone must do, or what happened later ('The minister is to speak on Friday', 'They were never to meet again').
   - Simple: Used after 'be' to say what is planned, what must happen, or what happened later.
   - _The prisoners were to be moved at dawn._
   - _She is to report to the manager on Monday._
22. In colloquial Indian English, chiefly in North India, a filler word that also works as a mild intensifier. *(colloquial, India)* (pronounced: say "TOH" US /toʊ/, UK /təʊ/)
   - Simple: A filler word that adds a little stress to what you say.
   - _The traffic to is terrible today, I tell you._
   - _He to is always complaining about work._

## Preposition

2. In the direction of a place, person, or position, especially so as to arrive there ('sent to the wrong address', 'raised her eyes to the ceiling').
   - Simple: In the direction of a place, person or thing, often until you reach it.
   - _The parcel was sent to the wrong address._
   - _He turned to his sister and whispered the answer._
4. Used after certain verbs, adjectives, and nouns to introduce the person or thing they relate to ('agreed to the merger', 'relevant to this case', 'the key to success').
   - Simple: Used after some verbs, adjectives, and nouns to show what they are about: 'agree to', 'kind to', 'the answer to'.
   - _The board agreed to the merger._
   - _A nurse attended to the wounded man._
5. Used to show the target or recipient of an action.
   - Simple: Used to show who receives something or who an action is aimed at.
   - _She explained the rules to the new players._
   - _They raised a glass to the happy couple._
6. Used to mark the end of a range.
   - Simple: Used between two numbers or points to show a range, as in 'nine to five'.
   - _The course runs from October to March._
   - _Prices rose by three to five percent._
7. So as to become or reach the end state that results from an action.
   - Simple: Used to show the state that something reaches after an action, as in 'torn to pieces'.
   - _The old bridge was burned to the ground._
   - _He rocked the baby to sleep._
10. In telling the time, before the stated hour ('a quarter to six'); the hour may be left out when it is obvious ('it's ten to').
   - Simple: Before the hour when telling the time: 'ten to six' means 5:50.
   - _We arrived at a quarter to midnight._
   - _The shops close at ten to six._
8. Used to show a degree, level, or precision reached.
   - Simple: Used to show how far or how exactly something is true, as in 'to some extent'.
   - _The parts are made to a tolerance of one hundredth of a millimeter._
   - _The forecast was right to a remarkable degree._
9. According to; in agreement with.
   - Simple: Means 'according to', as in 'go to plan' or 'made to order'.
   - _The house was built to the architect's drawings._
   - _Each order is cut to size._
11. Used to show a ratio or comparison; compared with, or as against.
   - Simple: Used to compare two things, or to give a ratio or odds, as in 'ten to one'.
   - _The odds on the favorite are five to two._
   - _Women outnumber men here by about three to two._
12. Used to show whose opinion or experience is meant, or how something seems to a particular person.
   - Simple: Used to say who thinks or feels something, or how something seems to a person.
   - _To most voters, the difference between the two candidates seemed small._
   - _The music felt strangely familiar to him, though he had never heard it before._
14. So as to make contact with, press against, or be attached to something.
   - Simple: Used to show that one thing touches or is fixed against another, as in 'nailed to the wall'.
   - _He put his ear to the ground and listened._
   - _The label was glued to the jar._
15. Marking the components of something, or what is found within it.
   - Simple: Used to say what something has in it or is made up of, as in 'there's nothing to it'.
   - _There is a certain charm to the old house._
   - _There are sixteen ounces to the pound._
16. Used to show that something happens accompanied by a sound or piece of music, or in time with it.
   - Simple: Used to show that something happens with a sound or music, or keeps time with it.
   - _The soldiers marched to the steady beat of a drum._
   - _The bride walked down the aisle to a string version of a pop ballad._
17. Used to introduce the effect something has or the reaction it causes.
   - Simple: Used to show the reaction or result that something produces, as in 'to loud cheers'.
   - _The bill passed, to the delight of the farmers._
   - _He announced his retirement to general astonishment._
18. In arithmetic, used to show the power to which a number is raised.
   - Simple: In math, used to say what power a number is raised to.
   - _The number of possibilities is two to the n._
   - _Five to the third power equals one hundred and twenty-five._
20. At; used to say where someone or something is. *(dialectal, Canada, Newfoundland, Wales)*
   - Simple: Means 'at', when asking or saying where someone or something is.
   - _Where are you to, my love? she called up the stairs._
   - _He was to the shop when the storm hit._

## Adverb

19. Into a shut position, or one where parts touch or engage.
   - Simple: Used after 'push' or 'pull' in some regions to mean 'so that it is closed', as in 'pull the door to'.
   - _She drew the curtains to against the glare._
   - _The wind blew the shutter to with a bang._
21. Of a ship, into the wind.
   - Simple: On a ship, toward the wind, as in 'bring her to'.
   - _The yacht came to with her sails shaking._
   - _Bring her to, the pilot ordered, and drop the anchor._

## Preposition

23. As a; in the role or capacity of. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: An old use meaning 'as a', as in 'took her to wife'.

## Origin

**Meanings 1–21, 23** — Proto-Indo-European *de ~ *do ("to") gave Proto-Germanic *tō ~ *ta, then Old English tō and Middle English to. German zu, Dutch toe, and West Frisian ta are cognates, and too is a doublet.
**Meaning 22** — From Hindi तो (to).

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/to (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).