to

alternative ter · alternative t' · alternative 2

1. A particle used for marking the following verb as an infinitive.

   I want to leave.

   5 more examples

   He asked me what to do.

   I have places to go and people to see.

   To err is human.

   Who am I to criticise? I've done worse things myself.

   Precisely to get away from you was why I did what I did.

2. As above, with the verb implied.

   If he hasn't read it yet, he ought to.

   1 more example

   "Did you visit the museum?" "I wanted to, but it was closed."

3. Used to indicate an obligation on the part of, or a directive given to, the subject.

   You are to go to the store and buy a bottle of milk.

alternative ter · alternative t' · alternative 2

1. expressing purposeIn order to.

   I went to the shops to buy some bread.

alternative ter · alternative t' · alternative 2

1. In the direction of; towards.

   She looked to the heavens.

2. Indicating destination or final position: In the direction of, so as to arrive at or reach.

   We are walking to the shop.

   4 more examples

   The water came right to the top of this wall.

   The coconut fell to the ground.

   The convention roared as the president stepped to the podium.

   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.

   2013 September 28, Kenan Malik, “London Is Special, but Not That Special”, in New York Times, retrieved 28 Sep 2013

3. Used to indicate the target or recipient of an action.

   I gave the book to him.

   3 more examples

   I spoke to him earlier.

   He devoted himself to education.

   They drank to his health.

4. So as to contact, press against, impact, etc.

   Put your shoulder to the door.

   2 more examples

   I fixed the notice to the wall.

   To clutch/clasp/hold/press one's hanky to one's mouth/nose/forehead.

5. So as to become or reach: indicating a terminal state resulting from an action.

   I sang my baby to sleep.

   2 more examples

   His face was beaten to a pulp.

   Whisk the mixture to a smooth consistency.

6. So as to bring about or elicit (an effect or outcome).

   I tried complaining, but it was to no effect.

   2 more examples

   He made several bad-taste jokes to groans from the audience.

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

7. 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.

8. Indicating a degree or level reached.

   It was to a large extent true.

   4 more examples

   We manufacture these parts to a very high tolerance.

   This gauge is accurate to a second.

   My car does 25 miles to the gallon.

   I started out by wrapping the first thread around a ruler for 1 inch and found that it had 24 wraps to the inch.

   2026, Tom Knisley, “Exploring S- and Z-Twist”, in Spin Off, volume L, number 1, page 42

9. Used to describe what something consists of or contains.

   The name has a nice ring to it.

   3 more examples

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

   There's a lot of sense to what he says.

   There are 100 pence to the pound.

10. Denotes the end of a range.

    It takes 2 to 4 weeks to process typical applications.

11. obsoleteAs a.

    With God to friend (with God as a friend); with The Devil to fiend (with the Devil as a foe); lambs slaughtered to lake (lambs slaughtered as a sacrifice); took her to wife (took her as a wife); was sold to slave (was sold as a slave).

12. Used to indicate a ratio or comparison; compared to, as against.

    one to one = 1:1

    5 more examples

    ten to one = 10:1.

    I have ten dollars to your four.

    The odds on that horse are seven to two.

    The hoſt of Xerxes, which by fame is ſaid To drinke the mightie Parthian Araris, Was but a handfull to that we will haue.

    c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act II, scene iii

    In total, the Reds had 28 shots to their opponent's nine, and 15 corners to the Baggies' three.

    2012 April 22, Sam Sheringham, “Liverpool 0-1 West Brom”, in BBC Sport

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

    Three to the second is nine.

    2 more examples

    Three squared or three to the second power is nine.

    Three to the power of two is nine.

14. timePreceding (the stated hour).

    What's the time? – It's quarter to four in the afternoon (or 3:45 pm).

    Antonyms: past

    1. informaltimeWith implied hour.

       It’s quarter to (3:45, or 4:45, or whatever time ending in 45 would make the most sense)

       Antonyms: past

15. According to.

    Our holiday did not go to plan.

16. CanadaCornwallNewfoundlandWalesWest MidlandsAt.

    Where are you to?

    2 more examples

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

    "What's that to you?" said Trevool, rather sharply, "worn't I to a berrin? […]

    1867, Cornish Tales, in prose and verse by various authors, page 33

17. Used more-or-less idiomatically with various verbs: keep to the left, agree to the proposal, attend to the matter, etc. See the individual entries.

alternative ter · alternative t' · alternative 2

1. UKUSnot comparableregionalToward a closed, touching, or engaging position.

   Please push the door to.

   3 more examples

   I pulled the door to after me.

   He went in his room, pushed the door to, without fastening the latch.

   1913, D[avid] H[erbert] Lawrence, “chapter 12”, in Sons and Lovers, London: Duckworth & Co. […], →OCLC

   Aware of the loud beating of my own heart I pulled the door to against the increasing rain.

   1925, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, chapter V, in The Great Gatsby, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, →OCLC, page 104

   Synonyms: closed, shut · Antonyms: open, ajar

2. not comparablenauticalInto the wind.
3. misspellingnot comparableMisspelling of too.

alternative ter · alternative t' · alternative 2

1. IndiaNorthcolloquialmild intensifierA filler word common amongst urban Indians.

   I am to so bored right now.

1. abbreviationinformalAbbreviation of Toronto: the largest city in Ontario and in Canada.
2. abbreviationAbbreviation of Tocantins: a state of Brazil.

plural TOs

1. abbreviationinitialismhobbiesInitialism of time-out.
2. abbreviationinitialismhobbiesInitialism of turnover.
3. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of tournament organizer.

present singular third person TOs · present singular third person TO's · participle present TOing · participle present TO'ing · participle past TOd · past TOd · participle past TOed · past TOed · participle past TO'd · past TO'd · participle past TO'ed · past TO'ed · alternative T.O.

1. to organize a tournament, to be a TO

   TOing

   tournament organizing

1. A surname.