to

Meanings

1. 1
   prep

   In the direction of; so as to reach a place.

   We are walking to the shop.

2. 2
   part

   Used before a verb to form the infinitive.

   I want to leave now.

3. 3
   prep

   Used to show the person or thing that receives an action.

   I gave the book to him.

4. 4
   prep

   Used to show contact with or attachment to a surface.

   He fixed the notice to the wall.

Common collocations

• listen to Verb + preposition/particle
• agree to Verb + preposition/particle

From Middle English to, from Old English tō, from Proto-Germanic *tō ~ *ta, from Proto-Indo-European *de ~ *do (“to”). Cognate with Scots tae, to (“to”), North Frisian to, tö, tu (“to”), Saterland Frisian tou (“to”), Low German to (“to”), Dutch toe, te (“to”), German zu (“to”), West Frisian ta (“to”). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian ndaj (“towards”), Irish do (“to, for”), Breton da (“to, for”), Welsh i (“to, for”), Russian до (do, “to”). Doublet of too.

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