towards

[[t]təwɔ͟ː(r)dz, AM tɔ͟ːrdz[/t]]

♦

(in AM and sometimes in BRIT, use toward)

1) PREP If you move, look, or point towards something or someone, you move, look, or point in their direction.

Caroline leant across the table towards him...

Anne left Artie and walked down the corridor towards the foyer...

When he looked towards me, I smiled and waved...

Patterson pointed toward a plain cardboard box beneath a long wooden table.

2) PREP: PREP n/-ing If things develop towards a particular situation, that situation becomes nearer in time or more likely to happen.

The talks made little evident progress towards agreement...

She also began moving toward a different life-style.

...the trend towards couples living together rather than marrying.

3) PREP If you have a particular attitude towards something or someone, you have that attitude when you think about them or deal with them.

It's the business of the individual to determine his own attitude towards religion...

Not everyone in the world will be kind and caring towards you...

My feelings towards Susan have changed over the years.

4) PREP If something happens towards a particular time, it happens just before that time.

The Channel tunnel was due to open towards the end of 1993...

There was a forecast of cooler weather toward the end of the week.

5) PREP If something is towards part of a place or thing, it is near that part.

The home of the Morgan family was up Gloucester Road, towards the top of the hill...

The most popular items are located toward the back of the store.

6) PREP If you give money towards something, you give it to help pay for that thing.

He gave them ₤50,000 towards a house...

71 percent of the entire budget went towards the military...

Families could use the money as a contribution towards the cost of sending their children to a public school.