topreposition
ukstrong /tuː/weak /tʊ//tu//tə/usstrong /tuː//tə//t̬ə//tu/to preposition (INFINITIVE)
A1 used before a verb to show that it is in the infinitive
A1 used after some verbs, especially when the action described in the infinitive will happen later:
A1 used after many verbs of agreeing, needing, and wanting:
A2 used instead of repeating a verb clause:
A1 used in phrases where there are reported orders and requests:
A1 used after some adjectives:
used after some nouns:
A clause containing to + infinitive can be used as the subject of a sentence:
A1 used after question words:
A2 used with an infinitive to express use or purpose:
You can introduce a clause with a phrase containing to + infinitive:
A1 used with an infinitive after 'there is' or 'there are' and a noun:
To be going on with means in order to continue with the present activity or situation:
More examples
- This meat is difficult to chew.
- On a hot day it's lovely to hear the chink of ice in a glass.
- I'd prefer not to work but I don't have much choice .
- It's impossible to park in the city centre.
- There was a clap of thunder and then it started to pour with rain.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Until a particular moment
- before
- day
- far
- hitherto
- in
- inside
- interim
- meantime
- now
- pending
- thus
- till
- time
- to date idiom
- until
- up to
- wait
- yet
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to preposition (SHOWING DIRECTION)
A1 in the direction of:
More examples
- She goes to her doctor for regular check-ups.
- She gave a cheesy grin to the cameras.
- Take your purchases to the sales desk, and the assistant will wrap them for you.
- When we retire, we're going to move to a warmer climate.
- We're going to the airport by coach.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Describing movement towards
- -ways
- at
- convergent
- earthward
- facing
- for
- forward
- forwards
- hither
- into
- inwards
- oncoming
- onward
- onwards
- thither
- unto
- up
- ward
- way
- wise
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to preposition (RECEIVING)
A2 used for showing who receives something or who experiences an action:
A2 With many verbs that have two objects, 'to' can be used before the indirect object:
More examples
- Who should I make out this cheque to ?
- When you've finished your work sheets, clip them together and hand them in to me.
- He's a great comfort to his mother.
- Has the news been communicated to the staff yet?
- If the service was so bad why didn't you complain to the manager?
to preposition (UNTIL)
B1 until a particular time, state, or level is reached:
A1 used when saying the time, to mean before the stated hour:
More examples
- Cheap rate for overseas phone calls is from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- The Spanish Civil War lasted from 1936 to 1939.
- My daughter cried herself to sleep about it for about a week.
- Molly studied music to grade 7, I think it was.
- The whole course was a disaster from start to finish.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Until a particular moment
- before
- day
- far
- hitherto
- in
- inside
- interim
- meantime
- now
- pending
- thus
- till
- time
- to date idiom
- until
- up to
- wait
- yet
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
to preposition (EXTREME)
used to suggest an extreme state:
to preposition (CONNECTION)
B1 in connection with:
B1 used to say where something is fastened or connected:
More examples
- She has no rightful claim to the title.
- Like so many men, he has problems committing himself to a relationship.
- She is known chiefly for her commitment to nuclear disarmament.
- The public's response to the crisis appeal was generous and compassionate.
- They planned to put up a statue to the president.
to preposition (FUTURE)
used before an infinitive, usually with 'be', to indicate a future action:
mainly UK used in this pattern to say what someone should do or to give an order:
Newspapers often use to + infinitive without 'be' in their headlines (= titles of articles) when reporting planned future events:
More examples
- We are to leave tomorrow at dawn.
- You are to go to your room immediately.
- If he is to pass the exam, he must do more work.
- Troops are to take over the role of the fire brigade.
- He said we were not to leave the room.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: verb forms, tenses & types of verbs
- accusative
- arose
- art
- aspect
- began
- bent
- ditransitive
- linking verb
- main verb
- passivize
- past participle
- predicate
- progressive
- the future perfect
- the past continuous
- the pluperfect
- the present simple
- the third person
- transitive
- wast
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to preposition (CAUSING)
C2 causing a particular feeling in a particular person:
More examples
- To their great surprise, they all passed the exam.
- I learned, to my annoyance, that he had already left.
- To my complete horror, the car turned right over.
- To my despair, I saw that the water was rising.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Causing things to happen
- -ization
- -ize
- actuation
- agent
- awaken (sth) in sb
- be associated with sth
- beget
- draw
- equal
- fuel
- instigate
- instigator
- introduce
- lie
- plant
- rise
- usher
- usher sth in
- wreak
- wrought
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to preposition (CONSIDERED BY)
considered by:
More examples
- Our house must seem luxurious to them.
- Loyalty doesn't mean anything to them.
- It seemed odd to me that they didn't want to come to London.
- Our customs probably seem funny to them.
to preposition (SERVING)
B1 serving:
More examples
- He was footman to the king.
- He was doctor to the poor.
- She was maid to a rich family in London.
to preposition (AGAINST)
against or very near:
More examples
- Their faces were nose to nose, scowling at each other.
- The children stood back to back to see who was tallest.
- He was standing, hand to mouth in horror.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Through, across, opposite and against
- across
- across country idiom
- against
- agin
- along
- catty-corner
- country
- cross-country
- front
- give
- kitty-corner
- on
- opposite
- other
- over
- overland
- thru
- trans
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to preposition (BELONGING)
matching or belonging to:
having as a characteristic feature:
More examples
- Is there a cover to this book?
- There is a softer side to her nature.
- I gave her the password to my computer.
to preposition (SHOWING POSITION)
B1 used to show the position of something or someone in comparison with something or someone else:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Next to and beside
- abreast
- adjacent
- adjoining
- against
- along
- alongside
- at sb's elbow idiom
- beside
- border
- contiguous
- coterminous
- elbow
- next
- next door
- on
- shoulder to shoulder idiom
- side
- surround
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to preposition (IN HONOUR OF)
in honour or memory of:
More examples
- The book is dedicated to her son.
- I'd like to dedicate the movie to the memory of my father.
to preposition (FOR EACH)
for each:
More examples
- How many euros are there to the pound?
- There are three children to each teacher.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Linguistics: both, all, each & every
- a
- all
- all
- any
- apiece
- both
- each
- either
- every
- every minute idiom
- pan
- per
- pop
- strength
- the
- throw
- whole
to preposition (BETWEEN)
B2 used in phrases that show a range:
More examples
- The police are expecting four to five thousand marchers tomorrow.
- We have allowed two to four drinks per person.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Range and limits
- all the way to idiom
- ambit
- band
- bound
- boundary
- condition
- limit
- limited
- meta-
- narrow
- narrowly
- specialized
- spectrum
- spread
- stricture
- string
- strings attached idiom
- term
- the gamut
- threshold
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to preposition (AT THE SAME TIME AS)
at the same time as music or other sound:
to preposition (POSITIVE)
relating to a positive reaction or result:
to preposition (COMPARED WITH)
B1 UK compared with:
More examples
- I live to the north of Warsaw.
- I weigh ten stone to his eight.
- She thinks her house is great, but it's nothing to where I live.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Comparing and contrasting
- against
- analogy
- antithesis
- as against idiom
- balance
- balance sth against sth
- benchmark
- compare
- comparison
- competitive
- contrast
- contrastive
- gold standard
- measure
- perspective
- relative
- relatively
- simile
- stack up
- vis-à-vis
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toadverb
uk/tuː/us/tuː/mainly UK into a closed position:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Open and closed
- airtight
- ajar
- barred
- closed
- crack
- gaping
- hermetic
- hermetically sealed
- latch
- open
- outspread
- patency
- sealed
- shut
- undone
- watertight
- wide-eyed