To

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /tuː/, tÊ°u̟ː, enPR: toÍžo
• US IPA: /tu/, tÊ°uÌŸ, enPR: toÍžo
• Rhymes: -uː
• Homophones: too, two

• IPA: /tÉ™/ preconsonantal
• IPA: /tÊŠ/ prevocalic

Alternative forms

• (dialectical) ter
• (contraction) t'
• (abbreviation) 2

Origin

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 Low German to ("to"), Dutch toe ("to"), German zu ("to"), West Frisian ta ("to"). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian te ("to, at"), tu ("while, for, to").

Full definition of to

Particle

1. A particle used for marking the following verb as an infinitive.I want to leave.He asked me what to do.I don’t know how to say it.I have places to go and people to see.
• 1711, Alexander Pope:To err is human, to forgive divine.
• circa 1600 William Shakespeare, , , Scene 1:To be, or not to be: that is the question:
  ...
• 2010 July, Associated Press, headline http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gfMucgz8wUGUNUNXRyIyqzY6lWwQD9GM98N83:Odds are, BP to get new CEO this year
• 2011, April 10, Alistair Magowan, Aston Villa 1 - 0 Newcastle, To that end, the home supporters were in good voice to begin with, but it was Newcastle who started the game in the ascendancy, with Barton putting a diving header over the top from Jose Enrique's cross.
2. As above, with the verb implied."Did you visit the museum?" "I wanted to, but it was closed."If he hasn't read it yet, he ought to.

Derived terms

• going to
  gonna
• got to
  gotta
• have to
  hafta
• ought to
  oughta
• supposed to
  supposta
• used to
  usta
• want to
  wanna
• fixing to
  finna

Preposition

1. Indicating destination: In the direction of, and arriving at.We are walking to the shop.
• 2013 September 28, Kenan Malik, "London Is Special, but Not That Special," New York Times (retrieved 28 September 2013)Driven by a perceived political need to adopt a hard-line stance, Mr. Cameron’s coalition government has imposed myriad new restrictions, the aim of which is to reduce net migration to Britain to below 100,000.
2. Used to indicate purpose.He devoted himself to education.They drank to his health.
3. Used after certain adjectives to indicate a relationship.
4. Indicating a necessity.That is something to do.
5. Used to indicate result of action.His face was beaten to a pulp.
6. 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.
7. (arithmetic) Used to indicate ratios; in informal use the ratios are not reduced to smallest terms.one to one = 1:1ten to one = 10:1.
• 2012, April 22, Sam Sheringham, Liverpool 0-1 West Brom, In total, the Reds had 28 shots to their opponent's nine, and 15 corners to the Baggies' three.
8. (arithmetic) 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.Three to the power of two is nine.Three to the second is nine.
9. Used to indicate the indirect object.I gave the book to him.
10. (time) Preceding.ten to ten = 9:50; We're going to leave at ten to (the hour).
11. (Canada, UK, Newfoundland, West Midlands) atStay where you're to and I'll come find you, b'y.

Adverb

1. Toward a closed, touching or engaging position.Please push the door to.
• 1913, D. H. Lawrence, ,He went in his room, pushed the door to, without fastening the latch.
2. (nautical) Into the wind.
3. Misspelling of too

Synonyms

• (toward a closed, touching or engaging position) closed, shut

Antonyms

• (toward a closed, touching or engaging position) open, ajar

Anagrams

• OT