释义 |
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers:: to and fro adj , adv to-and-fro - back and forth
- here and there
ˈtoing and ˈfroing n WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024fro /froʊ/USA pronunciation adv. - from;
back: to and fro.
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024to /tu; unstressed tʊ, tə/USA pronunciation prep. - (used to express motion or direction toward a place, person, or thing approached and reached):Come to the house.
- (used to express motion or direction toward something):from north to south.
- (used to express a limitation of movement or growth):He grew to six feet.
- (used to express the destination of a journey or process):He was sentenced to jail.
- (used to express a resulting condition):He tore it to pieces.
- (used to express the object of hope):They drank to her health.
- (used to express the object of a claim):Who were the claimants to the estate?
- (used to express a limitation in degree or amount):I was chilled to the bone.
- compared with:This year's harvest is inferior to last year's.
- in accordance with;
according to:promised us a room to our liking. - with respect to;
with reference to:What will he say to this? - (used to express in;
making up):There are 12 to the dozen. - (used to express the indirect object of a verb):Give it to me. Show the book to the girl.
- (used as the ordinary marker of the infinitive, as after certain verbs or adjectives, or when standing alone):To be or not to be, that is the question. They left early (in order) to catch their flight. It's too late to try calling now.
- Mathematicsraised to the power indicated:Three to the fourth (power) is 81(34 = 81).
adv. - toward a point, person, place, or thing.
- toward a closed position:Pull the door to.
- into a state of consciousness:After he came to, he remembered what had happened.
Idioms- Idioms to and fro, back and forth:trees swaying to and fro in the wind.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024to-and-fro (to̅o̅′ən frō′),USA pronunciation adj., n., pl. -fros. adj. - back-and-forth:to-and-fro motion.
n. - a continuous or regular movement backward and forward;
an alternating movement, flux, flow, etc.:the to-and-fro of the surf.
- 1820–30; adjective, adjectival and noun, nominal use of adverb, adverbial phrase to and fro, Middle English; see fro (def. 2)
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024fro (frō),USA pronunciation adv. - [Obs.]from;
back. - Idioms to and fro, alternating from one place to another;
back and forth:The trees were swaying to and fro in the wind.
- Old Norse frā from; akin to Old English fram from
- Middle English frō, frā 1150–1200
'fro (frō),USA pronunciation adj., n., pl. 'fros. [Informal.]- Informal TermsAfro.
Also, fro. WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024to (to̅o̅; unstressed tŏŏ, tə),USA pronunciation prep. - (used for expressing motion or direction toward a point, person, place, or thing approached and reached, as opposed to from):They came to the house.
- (used for expressing direction or motion or direction toward something) in the direction of;
toward:from north to south. - (used for expressing limit of movement or extension):He grew to six feet.
- (used for expressing contact or contiguity) on;
against; beside; upon:a right uppercut to the jaw; Apply varnish to the surface. - (used for expressing a point of limit in time) before;
until:to this day; It is ten minutes to six. We work from nine to five. - (used for expressing aim, purpose, or intention):going to the rescue.
- (used for expressing destination or appointed end):sentenced to jail.
- (used for expressing agency, result, or consequence):to my dismay; The flowers opened to the sun.
- (used for expressing a resulting state or condition):He tore it to pieces.
- (used for expressing the object of inclination or desire):They drank to her health.
- (used for expressing the object of a right or claim):claimants to an estate.
- (used for expressing limit in degree, condition, or amount):wet to the skin;goods amounting to $1000;Tomorrow's high will be 75 to 80°.
- (used for expressing addition or accompaniment) with:He added insult to injury. They danced to the music. Where is the top to this box?
- (used for expressing attachment or adherence):She held to her opinion.
- (used for expressing comparison or opposition):inferior to last year's crop; The score is eight to seven.
- (used for expressing agreement or accordance) according to;
by:a position to one's liking; to the best of my knowledge. - (used for expressing reference, reaction, or relation):What will he say to this?
- (used for expressing a relative position):parallel to the roof.
- (used for expressing a proportion of number or quantity) in;
making up:12 to the dozen; 20 miles to the gallon. - (used for indicating the indirect object of a verb, for connecting a verb with its complement, or for indicating or limiting the application of an adjective, noun, or pronoun):Give it to me. I refer to your work.
- (used as the ordinary sign or accompaniment of the infinitive, as in expressing motion, direction, or purpose, in ordinary uses with a substantive object.)
- Mathematicsraised to the power indicated:Three to the fourth is 81(34 = 81).
adv. - toward a point, person, place, or thing, implied or understood.
- toward a contact point or closed position:Pull the door to.
- toward a matter, action, or work:We turned to with a will.
- into a state of consciousness;
out of unconsciousness:after he came to. - to and fro. See fro (def. 2).
- bef. 900; Middle English, Old English tō; cognate with Dutch te, toe, German zu
T.O., - telegraph office.
Also, TO t.o., - turnover.
- turn over.
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