I. ˈt]ō(ə)rd, ]ȯ(ə)rd, ]ōəd, ]ȯ(ə)d also ˈtw] or təˈwȯ(ə)rd or təˈwȯ(ə)d adjective
Etymology: toward from Middle English, from Old English tōweard facing, approaching, imminent, from tō, preposition, to + -weard -ward; towards from Middle English towardes, alteration (influenced by towardes, preposition, toward) of toward — more at to
1. also towards
a. : being about to take place : coming soon : being prepared
could waddle fast enough if a meal was toward — Kylie Tennant
we have a trifling foolish banquet towards — Shakespeare
b. obsolete : threatening to happen : imminent
have you heard of no likely wars toward — Shakespeare
c. : happening at the moment : afoot
saw that there was a jest toward and joined in — Charles Kingsley
d. : being planned or plotted — used predicatively
the Governments … were privy to what was toward — Hilaire Belloc
2.
a. obsolete : quick to learn : apt , promising
spoken like a toward prince — Shakespeare
b. obsolete : well-disposed , amiable , obliging
hath hitherto been very tractable and toward — Richard Steele
c. : favoring , propitious
a toward breeze
II. preposition
or towards -dz\
Etymology: toward from Middle English, from Old English tōweard, adverb & preposition, from tōweard, adjective; towards from Middle English towardes, from Old English tōweardes, alteration (influence of -es -s, gen. suffix) of tōweard, adjective
1.
a. : in the direction of : to a point approaching
driving toward town
troops heading toward the front
comes toward me — Willa Carter
watch him lean over the dresser toward the … mirror — R.P.Warren
b. obsolete : to 1a(1)
shall we toward the Tower — Shakespeare
2.
a. : along a course leading to : with a view to gaining : to the end or purpose of
a long stride toward disarmament
a tendency toward mischief
the pressure toward conformity
looking toward a mastery of the technique
working toward his doctorate
beginnings toward the formation of his own philosophy of life — H.F.West
toward the goal of uniting all men of good will — Harper's
b. : in relation to : in the treatment or handling of
an attitude toward life
measures taken toward the colonies
impartiality toward the two — A.C.Sedgwick
with malice toward none — Abraham Lincoln
the bias of many economists toward government intervention — E.L.Dale
an emotional block toward mathematics — P.B.Sears
c. usually towards : in comparison with : with respect to
how does it stand towards my past — Thomas Hardy
d. : in sympathy or affection for
felt drawn toward her without knowing why
e. : in tolerance for : in the presence of
sensitized toward tuberculin
stable toward … alkalies and solvents — H.J.Wolfe
3.
a. : at a point in the direction of : near
took a cottage somewhere up toward the Cape
out toward the blue-black ocean — William Beebe
b. : in such a position as to face : presented to : facing
pass the knife with the handle toward the diner
his back was toward me
lower left with face toward camera — New York Times
with its northern outlook toward the … Mountains — American Guide Series: New Hampshire
4. : at a time not long before : just prior to
toward the end of the presidential campaign
toward the dinner hour
one afternoon toward sundown — G.M.Smith
5.
a. : in the way of help or assistance in : in furtherance of
apply them toward the solution of particular problems — W.L.Howard
would do what he could toward getting supper ready — W.D.Steele
b. : for the partial payment of : in defraying the costs of
credited toward the cost of your flight — Richard Joseph
proceeds go toward the provision of a scholarship
6. obsolete : in view or in store for
something good was toward me — Henry Fielding
7. usually towards : on the verge of : about , approximately
there are towards six hundred persons — Edmund Burke