different between toward vs inward

English

Etymology

From Middle English toward, from Old English t?weard, equivalent to to +? -ward

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /t??w??d/
• (General American) IPA^(key): (historical) /t??d/; (more recent) /?tw??d/, /t??w??d/
• (rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): (historical) /to(?)?d/; (more recent) /?two(?)?d/, /t??w??d/
• (non-rhotic, without the horse–hoarse merger) IPA^(key): (historical) /to?d/; (more recent) /?two?d/, /t??w??d/
• (General New Zealand) IPA^(key): /t??wo?d/
• Rhymes: -??(?)d
• Hyphenation: to?ward

Preposition

toward (chiefly US)

1. In the direction of.

   • He set his face toward the wilderness.

   • 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, VOA Learning English (public domain)

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

2. In relation to (someone or something).

   • So that the man that is tender among you, and very delicate, his eye shall be evil toward his brother, and toward the wife of his bosom, and toward the remnant of his children which he shall leave

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

4. Located close to; near (a time or place).
   • January 8, 1723, Jonathan Swift, letter to John Gay

     I am toward nine years older since I left you.

Usage notes

• Although some have tried to discern a semantic distinction between the words toward and towards, the only difference in practice is dialectal. Toward is more common in American English and towards is more common in British English, though each form may be found in both varieties.

Synonyms

• towards

Antonyms

• froward, fromward

Translations

Adjective

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.

Synonyms

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

Anagrams

• to-draw, todraw

Middle English

Alternative forms

• towarde, towar, towart, touard, touarde, touwar, touward, touwarde, towerd, towert, taward, tawarde, tawart, twoward, tort, toweard, towearde, towerd, towarð, towweard, touwward

Etymology

From Old English t?weard, t?wærd; equivalent to to +? -ward.

Preposition

toward

1. In the direction of; toward.

2. Into the presence of.
3. In proximity to; near, by.
4. In an exchange or communication with; to.
   • c. 1190 - 1215, Layamon, La?amon's Brut

     Þe while þe he spac touward Goden.

5. Having a wont or tendency towards.
6. Similar to.
7. Subject to; under the control of.
8. Useful for; prepared for.

Derived terms

• as toward

Descendants

• English: toward

Adjective

toward

1. Future, forthcoming; to come.
2. Near at hand; imminent, nigh.
3. Moving forth.
4. of goodwill, benevolent; well-tempered, gentle.

Related terms

• towardnesse

Descendants

• English: toward

Adverb

toward

1. In a given direction, typically toward something specific.
2. Nearly, almost.

Derived terms

• toward and froward

References

• “toward, prep.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 15 April 2018.
• “toward, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 15 April 2018.
• “toward, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 15 April 2018.

English

Etymology

From Middle English inward, from Old English inweard, corresponding to in +? -ward.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??nw?d/

Adjective

inward (comparative more inward, superlative most inward)

1. Situated on the inside; that is within, inner; belonging to the inside. [from 9th c.]
2. (obsolete) Intimate, closely acquainted; familiar. [16th-17th c.]
   • He had had occasion, by one very inward with him, to know in part the discourse of his life.

Derived terms

• inwards
• inwardly
• inwardness

Translations

Adverb

inward (not comparable)

1. Towards the inside [from 11th c.]

Synonyms

• withinward

Translations

Noun

inward (plural inwards)

1. (obsolete, chiefly in the plural) That which is inward or within; the inner parts or organs of the body; the viscera.
   • 1653, Jeremy Taylor, Twenty-five Sermons preached at Golden Grove; being for the Winter Half-year

     the flesh and the inwards he leaves to be consumed by a stranger fire
2. (obsolete, chiefly in the plural) The mental faculties.
3. (obsolete) A familiar friend or acquaintance.

Anagrams

• Darwin, darwin, draw in, drawin', indraw

Middle English

Alternative forms

• inwart, ynward, inworde, inwarde, ynvarde, inword, inewarde

Etymology

From Old English inweard; equivalent to in +? -ward.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?inward/, /?inwa?rd/

Adverb

inward

1. inwards, to the interior, especially referring to:
   1. One's physical existence or body
   2. One's mental state or soul
2. While located within the inside of an entity, especially referring to:
   1. One's physical existence or body
   2. One's mental state or soul

Derived terms

• inwardes

Descendants

• English: inward
• Scots: inward

References

• “in-w??rd, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-12.

Adjective

inward (superlative ynwardest)

1. inside, inward, in the interior; the following special senses exist:
   1. For the inside; internal
   2. religious, inside the mind
2. emotionally powerful, emotionally true
3. unknown, esoteric

Derived terms

• inwardly
• inwardnesse

Descendants

• English: inward
• Scots: inward

References

• “in-w??rd, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-12.

Noun

inward (plural inwardes)

1. The interior of a given thing
2. innards; guts
3. reasoning, deductive ability

Descendants

• English: inward, innards

References

• “in-w??rd, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-12.

Preposition

inward

1. To the inside

References

• “in-w??rd, prep.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-04-12.

See also

• outward