Chapter 1740

To <Xpage=1513>

To (<?/, emphatic or alone , <?/, obscure or unemphatic ) , prep. [AS. t\'d3 ; akin to OS. & OFries. t\'d3 , D. toe , G. zu , OHG. zuo , zua , z\'d3 , Russ. do , Ir. & Gael. do , OL. -do , -du , as in endo , indu , in, Gr. <?/, as in <?/ homeward. \'fb200. Cf. Too , Tatoo a beat of drums.] 1. The preposition to primarily indicates approach and arrival, motion made in the direction of a place or thing and attaining it, access; and also, motion or tendency without arrival; movement toward; -- opposed to from . " To Canterbury they wend."

Chaucer.

Stay with us, go not to Wittenberg. Shak.

So to the sylvan lodge They came, that like Pomona's arbor smiled. Milton.

I'll to him again, . . . He'll tell me all his purpose. She stretched her arms to heaven. Dryden.

2. Hence, it indicates motion, course, or tendency toward a time, a state or condition, an aim, or anything capable of being regarded as a limit to a tendency, movement, or action; as, he is going to a trade; he is rising to wealth and honor .

&hand; Formerly, by omission of the verb denoting motion, to sometimes followed a form of be , with the sense of at , or in . "When the sun was [gone or declined] to rest." Chaucer .

3. In a very general way, and with innumerable varieties of application, to connects transitive verbs with their remoter or indirect object, and adjectives, nouns, and neuter or passive verbs with a following noun which limits their action. Its sphere verges upon that of for , but it contains less the idea of design or appropriation; as, these remarks were addressed to a large audience; let us keep this seat to ourselves; a substance sweet to the taste; an event painful to the mind; duty to God and to our parents; a dislike to spirituous liquor .

Marks and points out each man of us to slaughter. B. Jonson.

Whilst they, distilled Almost to jelly with the act of fear, Stand dumb and speak not to him. Shak.

Add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. 2 Pet. i. 5,6,7.

I have a king's oath to the contrary. Shak.

Numbers were crowded to death. Clarendon.

Fate and the dooming gods are deaf to tears. Dryden.

Go, buckle to the law. Dryden.

4. As sign of the infinitive, to had originally the use of last defined, governing the infinitive as a verbal noun, and connecting it as indirect object with a preceding verb or adjective; thus, ready to go, i . e ., ready unto going; good to eat, i . e ., good for eating; I do my utmost to lead my life pleasantly. But it has come to be the almost constant prefix to the infinitive, even in situations where it has no prepositional meaning, as where the infinitive is direct object or subject; thus, I love to learn, i . e ., I love learning; to die for one's country is noble, i . e ., the dying for one's country. Where the infinitive denotes the design or purpose, good usage formerly allowed the prefixing of for to the to ; as, what went ye out for see? ( Matt. xi. 8 ) .

Then longen folk to go on pilgrimages, And palmers for to seeken strange stranders. Chaucer.

Such usage is now obsolete or illiterate. In colloquial usage, to often stands for, and supplies, an infinitive already mentioned; thus, he commands me to go with him, but I do not wish to .

5. In many phrases, and in connection with many other words, to has a pregnant meaning, or is used elliptically. Thus, it denotes or implies: (a) Extent; limit; degree of comprehension; inclusion as far as; as, they met us to the number of three hundred .

We ready are to try our fortunes To the last man. Shak.

Few of the Esquimaux can count to ten. Quant. Rev.

(b) Effect; end; consequence; as, the prince was flattered to his ruin; he engaged in a war to his cost; violent factions exist to the prejudice of the state . (c) Apposition; connection; antithesis; opposition; as, they engaged hand to hand.

Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face. 1 Cor. xiii. 12.

(d) Accord; adaptation; as, an occupation to his taste; she has a husband to her mind .

He to God's image, she to his was made. Dryden.

(e) Comparison; as, three is to nine as nine is to twenty-seven; it is ten to one that you will offend him .

All that they did was piety to this. B. Jonson.

(f) Addition; union; accumulation.

Wisdom he has, and to his wisdom, courage. Denham.

(g) Accompaniment; as, she sang to his guitar; they danced to the music of a piano .

Anon they move In perfect phalanx to the Dorian mood Of flutes and soft recorders. Milton.

(h) Character; condition of being; purpose subserved or office filled. [In this sense archaic] "I have a king here to my flatterer."

Shak.

Made his masters and others . . . to consider him to a little wonder. Walton.

&hand; To in to-day , to-night , and to-morrow has the sense or force of for or on ; for , or on , (this) day, for , or on , (this) night, for , or on , (the) morrow. To-day , to-night , to-morrow may be considered as compounds, and usually as adverbs; but they are sometimes used as nouns; as, to-day is ours.

To-morrow , and to-morrow , and to-morrow ; Creeps in this petty pace from day to day. Shak.

To and again , to and fro. [R.] -- To and fro , forward and back. In this phrase, to is adverbial.

There was great showing both to and fro . Chaucer.

-- To-and-fro , a pacing backward and forward; as, to commence a to-and-fro . Tennyson . -- To the face , in front of; in behind; hence, in the presence of. -- To wit , to know; namely. See Wit , v. i.

&hand; To , without an object expressed, is used adverbially; as, put to the door, i. e. , put the door to its frame, close it; and in the nautical expressions, to heave to , to come to , meaning to a certain position. To , like on , is sometimes used as a command, forward , set to . " To , Achilles! to , Ajax! to !" Shak .

Toad <Xpage=1513>

Toad (?) , n. [OE. tode , tade , AS. t\'bedie , t\'bedige ; of unknown origin. Cf. Tadpole .] (Zo\'94l.) Any one of numerous species of batrachians belonging to the genus Bufo and allied genera, especially those of the family Bufonid\'91 . Toads are generally terrestrial in their habits except during the breeding season, when they seek the water. Most of the species burrow beneath the earth in the daytime and come forth to feed on insects at night. Most toads have a rough, warty skin in which are glands that secrete an acrid fluid.

&hand; The common toad ( Bufo vulgaris ) and the natterjack are familiar European species. The common American toad ( B. lentiginosus ) is similar to the European toad, but is less warty and is more active, moving chiefly by leaping.

Obstetrical toad . (Zo\'94l.) See under Obstetrical . -- Surinam toad . (Zo\'94l.) See Pita . -- Toad lizard (Zo\'94l.) , a horned toad. -- Toad pipe (Bot.) , a hollow-stemmed plant ( Equisetum limosum ) growing in muddy places. Dr. Prior . -- Toad rush (Bot.) , a low-growing kind of rush ( Juncus bufonius ). -- Toad snatcher (Zo\'94l.) , the reed bunting. [Prov. Eng.] -- Toad spittle . (Zo\'94l.) See Cuckoo spit , under Cuckoo . -- Tree toad . (Zo\'94l.) See under Tree .

Toadeater <Xpage=1513>

Toad"eat`er (?) , n. [Said to be so called in allusion to an old alleged practice among mountebanks' boys of eating toads (popularly supposed to be poisonous), in order that their masters might have an opportunity of pretending to effect a cure. The French equivalent expression is un avaleur de couleuvres . Cf. Toady .] A fawning, obsequious parasite; a mean sycophant; a flatterer; a toady.

V. Knox.

You had nearly imposed upon me, but you have lost your labor. You're too zealous a toadeater , and betray yourself. Dickens.

Toadfish <Xpage=1513>

Toad"fish` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) (a) Any marine fish of the genus Batrachus , having a large, thick head and a wide mouth, and bearing some resemblance to a toad. The American species ( Batrachus tau ) is very common in shallow water. Called also oyster fish , and sapo . (b) The angler. (c) A swellfish.

Toadflax <Xpage=1513>

Toad"flax` (?) , n. (Bot.) An herb ( Linaria vulgaris ) of the Figwort family, having narrow leaves and showy orange and yellow flowers; -- called also butter and eggs , flaxweed , and ramsted .

Toadhead <Xpage=1513>

Toad"head` (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) The golden plover. [Local, U.S.]

Toadish <Xpage=1513>

Toad"ish , a. Like a toad. [Obs.]

A. Stafford.

Toadlet <Xpage=1513>

Toad"let (?) , n. A small toad. [R.]

Coleridge.

Toadstone <Xpage=1513>

Toad"stone` (?) , n. 1. (Min.) A local name for the igneous rocks of Derbyshire, England; -- said by some to be derived from the German todter stein , meaning dead stone , that is, stone which contains no ores.

2. Bufonite, formerly regarded as a precious stone, and worn as a jewel. See Bufonite .

Toadstool <Xpage=1513>

Toad"stool` (?) , n. (Bot.) A name given to many umbrella-shaped fungi, mostly of the genus Agaricus . The species are almost numberless. They grow on decaying organic matter.

Toady <Xpage=1513>

Toad"y (?) , n. ; pl. Toadies (#) . [Shortened from toadeater .] 1. A mean flatterer; a toadeater; a sycophant.

Before I had been standing at the window five minutes, they somehow conveyed to me that they were all toadies and humbugs. Dickens.

2. A coarse, rustic woman. [R.]

Sir W. Scott.

<page="1514"> Page 1514

Toady <Xpage=1514>

Toad"y (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Toadied (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Toadying .] To fawn upon with mean sycophancy.

Toadyism <Xpage=1514>

Toad"y*ism (?) , n. The practice of meanly fawning on another; base sycophancy; servile adulation.

Toast <Xpage=1514>

Toast (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Toasted (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Toasting .] [OF. toster to roast, toast, fr. L. torrere , tostum , to parch, roast. See Torrid .] 1. To dry and brown by the heat of a fire; as, to toast bread .

2. To warm thoroughly; as, to toast the feet .

3. To name when a health is proposed to be drunk; to drink to the health, or in honor, of; as, to toast a lady .

Toast <Xpage=1514>

Toast , n. [OF. toste , or tost\'82e , toasted bread. See Toast , v. ] 1. Bread dried and browned before a fire, usually in slices; also, a kind of food prepared by putting slices of toasted bread into milk, gravy, etc. <-- now usu. prepared in an electrical toaster. See toaster. -->

My sober evening let the tankard bless, With toast embrowned, and fragrant nutmeg fraught. T. Warton.

2. A lady in honor of whom persons or a company are invited to drink; -- so called because toasts were formerly put into the liquor, as a great delicacy.

It now came to the time of Mr. Jones to give a toast . . . who could not refrain from mentioning his dear Sophia. Fielding.

3. Hence, any person, especially a person of distinction, in honor of whom a health is drunk; hence, also, anything so commemorated; a sentiment, as "The land we live in," "The day we celebrate," etc.

Toast rack , a small rack or stand for a table, having partitions for holding slices of dry toast.

Toaster <Xpage=1514>

Toast"er (?) , n. 1. One who toasts.

2. A kitchen utensil for toasting bread, cheese, etc. <-- since 1950, usu. operated by electricity, with heating coils arranged so as to brown a slice of bread evenly over both surfaces. -->

<-- Toaster oven . an electrical toaster. -->

Toasting <Xpage=1514>

Toast"ing , a. & n. from Toast , v.

Toasting fork , a long-handled fork for toasting bread, cheese, or the like, by the fire.

Toastmaster <Xpage=1514>

Toast"mas`ter (?) , n. A person who presides at a public dinner or banquet, and announces the toasts.

Toat <Xpage=1514>

Toat (?) , n. The handle of a joiner's plane.

Knight.

Tobacco <Xpage=1514>

To*bac"co (?) , n. [Sp. tabaco , fr. the Indian tabaco the tube or pipe in which the Indians or Caribbees smoked this plant. Some derive the word from Tabaco , a province of Yucatan, where it was said to be first found by the Spaniards; others from the island of Tobago , one of the Caribbees. But these derivations are very doubtful.] 1. (Bot.) An American plant ( Nicotiana Tabacum ) of the Nightshade family, much used for smoking and chewing, and as snuff. As a medicine, it is narcotic, emetic, and cathartic. Tobacco has a strong, peculiar smell, and an acrid taste.

&hand; The name is extended to other species of the genus, and to some unrelated plants, as Indian tobacco ( Nicotiana rustica , and also Lobelia inflata ), mountain tobacco ( Arnica montana ), and Shiraz tobacco ( Nicotiana Persica ).

2. The leaves of the plant prepared for smoking, chewing, etc., by being dried, cured, and manufactured in various ways.

Tobacco box (Zo\'94l.) , the common American skate. -- Tobacco camphor . (Chem.) See Nicotianine . -- Tobacco man , a tobacconist. [R.] -- Tobacco pipe . (a) A pipe used for smoking, made of baked clay, wood, or other material. (b) (Bot.) Same as Indian pipe , under Indian . -- Tobacco-pipe clay (Min.) , a species of clay used in making tobacco pipes; -- called also cimolite . -- Tobacco-pipe fish . (Zo\'94l.) See Pipemouth . -- Tobacco stopper , a small plug for pressing down the tobacco in a pipe as it is smoked. -- Tobacco worm (Zo\'94l.) , the larva of a large hawk moth ( Sphinx, &or; Phlegethontius, Carolina ). It is dark green, with seven oblique white stripes bordered above with dark brown on each side of the body. It feeds upon the leaves of tobacco and tomato plants, and is often very injurious to the tobacco crop. See Illust . of Hawk moth .

Tobacconing <Xpage=1514>

To*bac"co*ning (?) , n. Smoking tobacco. [Obs.] " Tobacconing is but a smoky play." [Obs.]

Sylvester.

Tobacconist <Xpage=1514>

To*bac"co*nist (?) , n. 1. A dealer in tobacco; also, a manufacturer of tobacco.

2. A smoker of tobacco. [Obs.]

Sylvester.

To-beat <Xpage=1514>

To-beat" (?) , v. t. [Pref. to- + beat .] To beat thoroughly or severely. [Obs.]

Layamon.

Tobias fish <Xpage=1514>

To*bi"as fish` (?) . [See the Note under Asmodeus , in the Dictionary of Noted Names in Fiction.] (Zo\'94l.) The lant, or sand eel.

Tobine <Xpage=1514>

To"bine (?) , n. [Cf. G. tobin , D. tabijn . See Tabby .] A stout twilled silk used for dresses.

Tobit <Xpage=1514>

To"bit (?) , n. A book of the Apocrypha.

Toboggan <Xpage=1514>

To*bog"gan (?) , n. [Corruption of American Indian odabagan a sled.] A kind of sledge made of pliable board, turned up at one or both ends, used for coasting down hills or prepared inclined planes; also, a sleigh or sledge, to be drawn by dogs, or by hand, over soft and deep snow. [Written also tobogan , and tarbogan .]

Toboggan <Xpage=1514>

To*bog"gan (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Tobogganed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Tobogganing .] To slide down hill over the snow or ice on a toboggan.

Barilett.

Tobogganer, Tobogganist <Xpage=1514>

To*bog"gan*er (?) , To*bog"gan*ist (?) , n. One who practices tobogganing.

To-break <Xpage=1514>

To-break" (?) , v. t. [Pref. to- + break .] To break completely; to break in pieces. [Obs.]

With nose and mouth to-broke . Chaucer.

To-brest <Xpage=1514>

To-brest" (?) , v. t. [Pref. to- + brest .] To burst or break in pieces. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Toccata <Xpage=1514>

Toc*ca"ta (?) , n. [It., fr. toccare to touch. See Touch .] (Mus.) An old form of piece for the organ or harpsichord, somewhat in the free and brilliant style of the prelude , fantasia , or capriccio .

Tocher <Xpage=1514>

Toch"er (?) , n. [Gael. tochradh .] Dowry brought by a bride to her husband. [Scot.]

Burns.

Tockay <Xpage=1514>

Tock"ay (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A spotted lizard native of India.

Toco <Xpage=1514>

To"co (?) , n. (Zo\'94l.) A toucan ( Ramphastos toco ) having a very large beak. See Illust . under Toucan .

Tocology <Xpage=1514>

To*col"o*gy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ a birth + -logy .] The science of obstetrics, or midwifery; that department of medicine which treats of parturition. [Written also tokology .]

Tocororo <Xpage=1514>

To*co*ro"ro (?) , n. [Probably from the native name through the Spanish: cf. Sp. tocororo .] (Zo\'94l.) A cuban trogon ( Priotelus temnurus ) having a serrated bill and a tail concave at the end.

Tocsin <Xpage=1514>

Toc"sin (?) , n. [F., fr. OF. toquier to touch, F. toquer (originally, a dialectic form of F. toucher ) + seint (for sein ) a bell, LL. signum , fr. L. signum a sign, signal. See Touch , and Sign .] An alarm bell, or the ringing of a bell for the purpose of alarm.

The loud tocsin tolled their last alarm. Campbell.

Tod <Xpage=1514>

Tod (t&ocr;d) , n. [Akin to D. todde a rag, G. zotte shag, rag, a tuft of hair, Icel. toddi a piece of a thing, a tod of wool.] 1. A bush; a thick shrub; a bushy clump. [R.] "An ivy todde ."

Spenser.

The ivy tod is heavy with snow. Coleridge.

2. An old weight used in weighing wool, being usually twenty-eight pounds.