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tow (1)
tow (2)
tow-away zone
tow-colored
tow-haired
tow sack
tow truck
towage
toward
towbar
towboat
towel
towelette
toweling
tower (1)
tower (2)
tower block
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toward

to·ward [ tawrd, tə wáwrd ] or to·wards [ tawrdz, tə wáwrdz ]


preposition 
Definition:
 
1. in particular direction: used to indicate that somebody or something is moving or facing in the direction of somebody or something else
They headed off toward town.

2. shortly before: shortly before a particular time
toward midnight

3. with specific audience intended: with a particular target group in mind
remarks slanted toward those sitting in the front row

4. regarding: concerning or with regard to
his attitude toward her

5. contributing to: as a contribution to or means of achieving something
a grant toward the cost of refurbishment

[ Old English tōweardes]

Word Usage
toward or towards?

In U.S. English, toward is the usual form but in British English towards is more common. The same principle applies to afterward/afterwards and to some other adverbs of direction that end in -ward, for example, backward/backwards and outward/outwards. Upward, as in moved upward, and upwards, as in increases upwards of 10 percent, are also standard. Note that related adjectives of direction always end in -ward, not -wards, as in a backward glance or an upward trend. The adverb forwards is a seldom used variant of forward in U.S. English, and the -wards spelling of it is never used as a standard U.S. English adjective.

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