towards
♦♦♦ to|wards /təw'ɔːrdz, AM t'ɔːrdz/
or toward
In addition to the uses shown below, towards is used in phrasal verbs such as `count towards' and `lean towards'.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...count towards
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If something counts towards or counts toward an achievement or right, it is included as one of the things that give you the right to it. (in AM, usually use count toward)
In many courses, work from the second year onwards can count towards the final degree.go towards
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n/-ing, V P n/-ing
If an amount of money goes towards something, it is used to pay part of the cost of that thing.
One per cent of total public spending should eventually go towards the arts...
Under the new approach more money will go towards improving the standard of training.lean towards
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you lean towards or lean toward a particular idea, belief, or type of behaviour, you have a tendency to think or act in a particular way.
Most scientists would probably lean toward this viewpoint.
or toward
In addition to the uses shown below, towards is used in phrasal verbs such as `count towards' and `lean towards'.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...count towards
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If something counts towards or counts toward an achievement or right, it is included as one of the things that give you the right to it. (in AM, usually use count toward)
In many courses, work from the second year onwards can count towards the final degree.go towards
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n/-ing, V P n/-ing
If an amount of money goes towards something, it is used to pay part of the cost of that thing.
One per cent of total public spending should eventually go towards the arts...
Under the new approach more money will go towards improving the standard of training.lean towards
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n
If you lean towards or lean toward a particular idea, belief, or type of behaviour, you have a tendency to think or act in a particular way.
Most scientists would probably lean toward this viewpoint.