towards
preposition
mainlyUKuk/təˈwɔːdz//twɔːdz/us/tɔːrdz//twɔːrdz/(also mainlyUStoward)towardspreposition(MOVEMENT)
B1
in thedirectionof, orcloserto someone or something:
向，朝；对着Shestoodup andwalkedtowards him.她站起身来，向他走去。
Heleanedtowards hiswifeandwhispered, "Can we gohomesoon?"他侧过身子轻声地问妻子：“我们快点回家好吗？”
Shekeptglancingtowards thephone.她不停地朝电话机那儿瞅。
Thecountryseemsto bedriftingtowardswar.这个国家似乎正慢慢地走向战争。
There is atrendtowardshealthiereatingamong allsectorsof thepopulation.目前各行各业的人都有一种追求健康饮食的趋势。
- Awaspcame towards us and Howardstartedflailinghisarmsaround.
- We wereheadingtowards Kumasi whenourtruckbrokedown.
- Thehorseandcartjoggeddown theroughtracktowards thefarm.
- Iwalkedbackwardstowards thedoor.
- When she came towards meshouting, Iretreatedbehind mydesk.
Describing movement towards
- -ways
- at
- convergent
- earthward
- facing
- for
- forward
- forwards
- hither
- inwards
- on
- oncoming
- onward
- onwards
- round
- thither
- to
- up
- ward
- wise
towardspreposition(RELATION)
B2
inrelationto something or someone:
对，对于；关于They've always been veryfriendlytowards me.他们对我总是很友好。
There has been achangeingovernmentpolicytowardsenergyefficiency.政府针对能源效率的政策有了变动。
Hefeelsa lot ofanger/hostility/antagonism/animositytowards hisfather.他很生父亲的气／对父亲怀有很大的敌意／对父亲心怀极大怨恨／非常憎恨父亲。
A lot ofpeoplethinkthat mostnewspapersarebiasedtowards oneparticularpoliticalparty.许多人认为大多数报纸都偏袒某一政党。
- He's alwaysbehavedcourteouslytoward myfamily.
- He'sadoptedaremarkablylight-heartedattitudetowards thesituation.
- Aparentmust becarefulnot to showfavouritismtowards any one oftheirchildren.
- Theyshowedopenhostilitytowardstheirnewneighbours.
- Heclaimsthatsocietyhas beenfartoopermissivetowardsdrugtaking.
Regarding and concerning
- about
- apropos
- around
- as toidiom
- be/have something to do withsomethingidiom
- connection
- cover
- department
- hereof
- in respect ofsomethingidiom
- in the brain/looks departmentidiom
- into
- range
- re
- relate
- say
- something
- thereof
- vis-à-vis
- wise
towardspreposition(POSITION)
C1
near to, just before, or around atimeorplace:
接近，靠近；将近Ourseatswere towards the back of thetheatre.我们的座位靠近剧院的后排。
I often gethungrytowards themiddleof themorning.我常常半上午的时候感到饿。
We're getting towardswinterand it's gettingdarkearlier.快到冬天了，天黑得越来越早。
- He wentmadtowards the end of hislife.
- Theweatherisexpectedtosettletowards the end of theweek.
- Thetapespeededup towards the end.
- Johnson came on as asubstitutetowards the end of thematch.
- Theshopbecomesa lot lessbusytowardslunchtime.
Closeness in distance and time
- a hair's breadthidiom
- a stone's throwidiom
- about
- ace
- anywhere
- anywhere nearidiom
- approachable
- around
- float around
- hand to handidiom
- hard by
- here
- proximity
- roof
- round the corneridiom
- shadow
- shout
- step
- stick together
- super-convenient
towardspreposition(PURPOSE)
C1
for thepurposeofbuyingorachievingsomething:
为了I'msavingup tobuyacar, and Dad has given me somemoneytowards it.我正在攒钱买车，爸爸也资助了我点儿钱。
Would you like to make acontribution(= give somemoney)towards apresentfor Linda?你愿意为给琳达买礼物出点儿钱吗？
Theworkthatstudentsdo during thetermcountstowardstheirfinalgrade.学生平时的功课会算到期末总分里。
- Aren't you going tocontributetowards Jack'sleavingpresent?
- Theworkthat thestudentsdo during theyearwillcounttowardstheirfinaldegrees.
- Theirpoliciesare all towards thecreationofwealth.
- Do youagreewith theprinciplethat everyone shouldpaysomething towards thecostofhealthcare?
- The Friends of theRoyalAcademyraised£10 000 towards thecostof theexhibition.
Goals and purposes
- affordance
- ambition
- avail
- cause
- dedicated
- deflect
- dream
- end
- it's the thought that countsidiom
- key performance indicator
- KPI
- moonshot
- objective
- point
- target
- target setting
- thought
- unfocused
- use
- utility
Grammar
Towardsortoward?
Towards and toward are prepositions. We can use both forms, but towards is much more common than toward.…