to
to
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "to" varies depending on context (stressed vs. unstressed, preceding a vowel vs. a consonant):
Unstressed, before a consonant (most common): /tə/
/tə/
Unstressed, before a vowel: /tu/
/tu/
Stressed (e.g., when "to" is the last word in a sentence or emphasized): /tuː/
/tuː/
Word Form Variations
Preposition: to
Infinitive Marker: to
Adverb: to (rare, archaic, or in specific fixed phrases)
Noun: to (rare, informal, referring to the act of doing something or an item listed after "to")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Preposition
Definition 1: Expressing motion in the direction of (a place, person, or thing).
Synonyms: toward, towards, into, onto, in the direction of
Antonyms: from, away from, out of
Definition 2: Indicating the recipient of an action or the destination of something.
Synonyms: for, at, toward, unto (archaic)
Antonyms: from, by (as in done by)
Definition 3: Indicating the object or complement of a verb or adjective.
Example usage: "Listen to me," "committed to the cause."
Synonyms: (Implied relation)
Antonyms: (No direct antonym, refers to grammatical function)
Definition 4: Indicating a point reached in a scale, range, or period.
Synonyms: until, till, up to, into
Antonyms: from (as in from...to)
Definition 5: Indicating connection or accompaniment.
Example usage: "Married to," "belonging to."
Synonyms: with, alongside, associated with
Antonyms: separated from, disconnected from
Definition 6: Indicating purpose or suitability.
Example usage: "A key to success," "ingredients to make a cake."
Synonyms: for, in order to, as a means of
Antonyms: (No direct antonym, refers to purpose)
Definition 7: Indicating the time before the hour.
Example usage: "Ten to five" (4:50).
Synonyms: before, till, preceding
Antonyms: past, after
Infinitive Marker
Definition 1: Used with the base form of a verb to indicate its infinitive form (e.g., "to run," "to eat").
Synonyms: (No direct synonyms; refers to a grammatical function)
Antonyms: (No direct antonym, refers to a grammatical function)
Adverb
Definition 1 (Archaic/Idiomatic): Expressing closure or completion (e.g., "push the door to").
Synonyms: closed, shut, completely
Antonyms: open, ajar
Noun
Definition 1 (Informal/Slang): The act of doing something, especially something excessive or unpleasant. (Often in "the what-for")
Example usage: "He gave me the old one-two, and then the real 'to'."
Synonyms: blow, hit, assault (in this specific informal context)
Antonyms: (No direct antonym for this informal usage)
Definition 2 (Informal): An item or event that is designated "to be done" or "to happen." (Used loosely, typically in lists or schedules)
Example usage: "My to-do list has five 'to's today."
Synonyms: task, item, objective
Antonyms: (No direct antonym)
Examples of Use
Books:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way." (Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities, 1859)
"The hero resolved to face his fears and confront the dragon." (Fictional example from a fantasy novel)
"This guide aims to help students master the fundamentals of academic writing." (From a non-fiction textbook)
Newspapers:
"President Ruto flew to Addis Ababa for regional talks on security and trade." ("Daily Nation,")
"The new policy is expected to bring significant changes to the education sector." ("The Standard,")
"Investors reacted cautiously to the latest economic data, showing a slowdown in growth." ("Business Daily Africa,")
Online Publications:
"How to cook the perfect ugali: A step-by-step guide." (An article on a cooking blog, e.g., Taste of Home,)
"Click here to subscribe to our newsletter and get daily updates." (A call to action on a website, e.g., TechCrunch)
"We aim to provide the best possible user experience for all our customers." (A mission statement on a corporate website, e.g., Google)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Here's looking at you, kid." (Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine in Casablanca, 1942) - This implicitly implies "looking to you."
Television Series: "Previously, on 'The Crown': King George VI prepares to give his last Christmas speech." (Narration at the beginning of a recap segment)
Song Lyrics: "All you need is love. Love is all you need." (The Beatles, "All You Need Is Love," 1967) - This implicitly refers "to" the concept of love.
Video Games: "Press X to interact." (A common on-screen instruction in video games, e.g., The Legend of Zelda)
Podcasts: "Tune in next week to hear our interview with a Nobel laureate." (A podcast host's promotional closing)
General Public Discourse:
"I need to go to the market to buy some groceries." (A common statement about errands)
"It's five minutes to midnight." (Stating the time)
"Don't forget to call your mother." (A common reminder)
"I prefer tea to coffee." (Expressing a preference)
"Welcome to Kenya!" (A common greeting to visitors)
10 Quotes Using To
"To be, or not to be: that is the question." (William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1)
"To err is human, to forgive divine." (Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism, 1711)
"To infinity and beyond!" (Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story, 1995)
"To boldly go where no man has gone before." (Star Trek, opening narration)
"To thine own self be true." (William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3)
"Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country." (John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, 1961)
"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." (Franklin D. Roosevelt, First Inaugural Address, 1933)
"It takes two to tango." (Common idiom, widely used)
"There is nothing to fear but fear itself." (Often attributed to Franklin D. Roosevelt)
"Look to the past for wisdom, look to the future for hope, and look around you for love." (Unknown, widely circulated inspirational quote)
Etymology
The word "to" is one of the oldest and most fundamental words in the English language, with incredibly deep roots.
It comes from the Old English word tō.
This Old English word already had a very similar range of uses to our modern "to":
It indicated direction toward a place or person (e.g., "go to town").
It marked the infinitive of a verb (e.g., "I want to eat").
It showed purpose (e.g., "for what end?").
Tō itself traces back to Proto-Germanic (tō) and then to an even older Proto-Indo-European root (dō- or doh₂-) that conveyed ideas of "towards" or "until."
The first known use of "to" in English, with these core meanings of indicating direction, destination, or purpose, dates back to before the 9th century (Old English period). Its various grammatical functions have been central to the structure of English for over a thousand years.
Phrases + Idioms Containing To
Here's a list of phrases and idioms using "to":
To and fro: Back and forth.
To this day: Until now; still.
From A to Z: Completely; from beginning to end.
To hell and back: A very difficult and challenging experience.
To a T: Exactly; perfectly (e.g., "fits you to a T").
To no avail: Without success; uselessly.
To one's heart's content: As much as one desires.
To the letter: Exactly as stated or instructed.
To the core: Deeply; fundamentally.
What's it to you?: (Informal) Why are you concerned?; It doesn't concern you.
Add insult to injury: To make a bad situation worse. (Synonym for "to exacerbate")
To push the envelope: To extend the limits of what is possible. (Synonym for "to stretch boundaries")
Bring to light: To reveal or make something known.
Come to pass: To happen; to occur.
Up to snuff: Meeting a required standard; good enough.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of to from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
