toward(s)

toward(s)
toward(s)
When towards is used to talk about direction or position, it is almost always translated by vers : she ran toward(s) him = elle a couru vers lui. For particular usages see the entry below.
When toward(s) is used to mean in relation to, it is translated by envers : his attitude toward(s) his parents = son attitude envers ses parents. For particular usages see the entry below.prep
1 (in the direction of) vers ; toward(s) the east vers l'est ; she ran toward(s) him elle a couru vers lui ; he was standing with his back toward(s) me il était dos à moi, il me tournait le dos ; the first steps toward(s) fig les premiers pas vers [solution, system etc] ; the country is moving toward(s) democracy/independence le pays se dirige vers la démocratie/l'indépendance ; he is moving toward(s) the idea that il commençe à penser or à se dire que ;
2 (near) vers ; toward(s) the end of vers la fin de [day, month, life] ; toward(s) the rear of the plane à l'arrière de l'avion ;
3 (in relation to) envers ; their attitude/policy toward(s) Europe leur attitude/politique envers l'Europe ; to be friendly/hostile toward(s) sb se montrer cordial/hostile envers qn ;
4 (as a contribution to) the money will go toward(s) the cost of a new roof l'argent servira à payer un nouveau toit ; we are saving toward(s) a holiday nous faisons des économies pour partir en vacances ; you should put the money toward(s) the children's education tu devrais mettre l'argent de côté pour l'éducation des enfants ; new hostels have gone some way toward(s) easing the accommodation problem de nouveaux foyers ont contribué à alléger la crise du logement ; management have gone some way toward(s) meeting the strikers' demands la direction a fait quelques concessions pour répondre aux revendications des grévistes.

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.

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  • Toward — To ward, Towards To wards, prep.[AS. ? impending, imminent, future, toward, ? towards. See {To}, and {ward}, {wards}.] 1. In the direction of; to. [1913 Webster] He set his face toward the wilderness. Num. xxiv. 1. [1913 Webster] The waves make… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Toward — ( gd. Tollard) is a village near Dunoon at the southern tip of the Cowal peninsula in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Nearby is Castle Toward, a former country house built close to the ruined Toward Castle. Now an outdoor education centre, its grounds …   Wikipedia

  • Toward — To ward, a. [AS. ?. See {Toward}, prep.] 1. Approaching; coming near. His toward peril. Spenser. [1913 Webster] 2. Readly to do or learn; compliant with duty; not froward; apt; docile; tractable; as, a toward youth. [1913 Webster] 3. Ready to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • toward — [tôrd; tōrd, tō′ərd; twôrd; too wôrd′, təwôrd′; ] for adj. [ tō′ərd, tôrd] prep. [ME < OE toweard: see TO1 & WARD] 1. in the direction of 2. so as to face; facing 3. in a manner designed to achieve or along a course likely to result in; in… …   English World dictionary

  • toward — toward, towards In BrE towards is much the more common form for the preposition, whereas in AmE toward is more usual: We walked toward / towards the house …   Modern English usage

  • Toward — To ward, Towards To wards adv. Near; at hand; in state of preparation. [1913 Webster] Do you hear sught, sir, of a battle toward ? Shak. [1913 Webster] We have a trifling foolish banquet Towards. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • toward — / towards [prep1] on the way to; near against, almost, approaching, close to, coming up, contra, en route, facing, for, fronting, headed for, in relation to, in the direction of, in the vicinity, just before, moving, nearing, nearly, not quite,… …   New thesaurus

  • toward — O.E. toweard in the direction of, prepositional use of toweard (adj.) coming, approaching, from to (see TO (Cf. to)) + weard, from P.Gmc. * warth, from PIE *wert turn (see WARD (Cf. ward)). Towards with …   Etymology dictionary

  • toward — to|ward [ tɔrd, tə wɔrd ] or to|wards [ tɔrdz, tə wɔrdz ] preposition *** 1. ) in a particular direction used for saying in which direction someone or something is going, facing, or looking: a stream of traffic speeding toward the city I saw… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • toward — I. adjective Etymology: Middle English toward, from Old English tōweard facing, imminent, from tō, preposition, to + weard ward Date: before 12th century 1. (also towards) [Middle English towardes, from Old English tōweardes, preposition, toward …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • toward — towardness, n. prep. /tawrd, tohrd, teuh wawrd , twawrd, twohrd/; adj. /tawrd, tohrd/, prep. Also, towards. 1. in the direction of: to walk toward the river. 2. with a view to obtaining or having; for: They re saving money toward a new house. 3.… …   Universalium

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