prep.
Variant: or to · wards
Pronunciation: ' t ō - ə rd(z), ' to ̇ (- ə )rd(z), t ə - ' wo ̇ rd(z), ' two ̇ rd(z), ' tw ō rd(z)
Function: preposition
Date: before 12th century
1 : in the direction of <driving toward town>
2 a : along a course leading to <a long stride toward disarmament> b : in relation to <an attitude toward life>
3 a : at a point in the direction of : NEAR <a cottage somewhere up toward the lake> b : in such a position as to be in the direction of <your back was toward me>
4 : not long before < toward the end of the afternoon>
5 a : in the way of help or assistance in <did all he could toward raising campaign funds> b : for the partial payment of <proceeds go toward the establishment of a scholarship>