toward
toward Lexical Profile
toward Game Scores & Validity
• preposition
In the direction of someone or something.
"She walked slowly toward the library entrance as the rain began to fall."
In relation to someone or something; regarding one's attitude or feeling about.
"The committee showed a very positive attitude toward the proposed curriculum changes."
Getting closer to a particular time or state; near or just before.
"The traffic usually clears up toward the end of the evening."
For the purpose of contributing to, achieving, or purchasing something.
"They decided to put half of their monthly bonus toward the mortgage."
• adjective
Going on, in progress, or soon to happen (used predicatively, now archaic or literary).
"The villagers gathered in the square, sensing that some great event was toward."
Compliant, docile, or promising (now archaic, contrasted with 'froward' or 'untoward').
"In the old chronicle, the young prince was praised as a toward and dutiful scholar."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Toward" and "towards" are completely interchangeable in meaning, though "toward" is the preferred standard in American and Canadian English, whereas "towards" is strongly preferred in British and Australian English.
• Rhymes for toward
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'tōweard', formed by combining the preposition 'tō' (to) with the directional suffix '-weard' (ward), meaning 'in the direction of' or 'approaching'.