| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| PRONUNCIATION: |  t , t when unstressed |
| PREPOSITION: | 1a. In a direction toward so as to reach: went to the city. b. Towards: turned to me. 2a. Reaching as far as: The ocean water was clear all the way to the bottom. b. To the extent or degree of: loved him to distraction. c. With the resultant condition of: nursed her back to health. 3. Toward a given state: helping minority women to economic equality. 4. In contact with; against: their faces pressed to the windows. 5. In front of: stood face to face. 6. Used to indicate appropriation or possession: looked for the top to the jar. 7. Concerning; regarding: waiting for an answer to my letter. 8. In a particular relationship with: The brook runs parallel to the road. 9. As an accompaniment or a complement of: danced to the tune. 10. Composing; constituting: two cups to a pint. 11. In accord with: job responsibilities suited to her abilities. 12. As compared with: a book superior to his others. 13a. Before: The time is ten to five. b. Up till; until: worked from nine to five. 14a. For the purpose of: went out to lunch. b. In honor of: a toast to the queen. 15a. Used before a verb to indicate the infinitive: I'd like to go. b. Used alone when the infinitive is understood: Go if you want to. 16a. Used to indicate the relationship of a verb with its complement: refer to a dictionary; refer me to a dictionary. b. Used with a reflexive pronoun to indicate exclusivity or separateness: had the plane to ourselves. | | ADVERB: | 1. In one direction; toward a person or thing: owls with feathers wrong end to. 2. Into a shut or closed position: pushed the door to. 3. Into a state of consciousness: The patient came to. 4. Into a state of action or attentiveness: sat down for lunch and fell to. 5. Nautical Into the wind. | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English, from Old English t . See de- in Appendix I.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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