to·ward
(tôrd, tōrd, tə-wôrd́)
[Middle English, from Old English tōweard, tō, to; see to, + -weard, -ward.]
prep.
- In the direction of: driving toward home.
- In a position facing: had his back toward me.
- Somewhat before in time: It began to rain toward morning.
- With regard to; in relation to: an optimistic attitude toward the future.
- In furtherance or partial fulfillment of: contributed five dollars toward the bill.
- By way of achieving; with a view to: efforts toward peace.
adjective
- Favoring success or a good outcome; propitious.
- Happening soon; imminent.
- Obsolete Being quick to understand or learn.
usage note
Usage Note: Some critics have tried to discern a semantic distinction between toward and towards, but the difference is entirely dialectal. Toward is more common in American English; towards is the predominant form in British English.
