• (RP) IPA: /tə.ˈwɔːd/, [tʰə̥ˈwɔːd]
• (America) IPA: /tʊ.ˈwɔɹd/, [tʰə̥ˈwɔɹ̠d̠], [tʰw̥ɔɹ̠d̠]
• (New Zealand) IPA: /tɘ.ˈwoːd/, [tʰɘ̥ˈwoːd], [tʰw̥oːd]

1. In the direction of.

   She moved toward the door.

   • , Book of Numbers xxiv. 1

     He set his face toward the wilderness.

   • 1914, Louis Joseph Vance, chapter III, in Nobody, New York, N.Y.: George H[enry] Doran Company, published 1915, OCLC 40817384 ↗:

     Turning back, then, toward the basement staircase, she began to grope her way through blinding darkness, but had taken only a few uncertain steps when, of a sudden, she stopped short and for a little stood like a stricken thing, quite motionless save that she quaked to her very marrow in the grasp of a great and enervating fear.

   • 2019, [https://web.archive.org/web/20190311070055/https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/south-korea-proposes-rain-project-with-china-to-cut-pollution/4819207.html VOA Learning English] (public domain)

     China has claimed that South Korea’s dust flies toward Shanghai.

2. In relation to (someone or something).

   What are your feelings toward him?

   • , Book of Deuteronomy

     His eye shall be evil toward his brother.

3. For the purpose of attaining (an aim).

   I'm saving money toward retirement.

4. Located close to; near (a time or place).

   Our place is over toward the station.

   • January 8, 1723, Jonathan Swift, letter to John Gay

     I am toward nine years older since I left you.

• towards

• froward, fromward

• French: vers
• German: zu, in Richtung, nach, auf (with zu, postpositively used)
• Italian: verso
• Portuguese: a, rumo a, até
• Russian: к
• Spanish: hacia

• French: envers
• German: zu, gegenüber (sometimes used postpositively), bezüglich, hinsichtlich
• Italian: verso
• Portuguese: para com
• Russian: о
• Spanish: sobre, hacia

• French: pour
• German: für, um, zwecks
• Italian: per
• Portuguese: para
• Russian: на
• Spanish: para

• French: près de
• German: so um, gegen, Richtung
• Italian: presso
• Portuguese: por
• Russian: около
• Spanish: hacia

toward (not comparable)

1. Yielding, pliant; docile; ready or apt to learn; not froward.
2. (obsolete) Future; to-come.
3. (dated) Approaching, coming near; impending; present, at hand.
4. (obsolete or archaic) Promising, likely.

• (future) coming; see also Thesaurus:future
• (approaching) imminent, in the offing, proximate; see also Thesaurus:impending