{adv. phr.} So very well that it is in a way bad; to the
point of being rather foolish; too well; too much. •/Aunt May wants
everything in her house to be exactly right; she is neat to a fault./
•/Mary acts her part to a fault./ •/John carries thoroughness to a fault;
he spends many hours writing his reports./
[to a halt]
See: GRIND TO A HALT.
[to a large extent]
See: IN GREAT MEASURE.
[to all intents and purposes]
{adv. phr.} In most ways; in fact.
•/The president is called the head of state, but the prime minister, to all
intents and purposes, is the chief executive./
[to a man]
{adv. phr.} Without exception; with all agreeing. •/The
workers voted to a man to go on strike./ •/To a man John’s friends stood by
him in his trouble./ Compare: EVERY LAST MAN.
[to and fro]
{adv. phr.} Forward and back again and again. •/Father
pushed Judy in the swing, and she went to and fro./ •/Busses go to and fro
between the center of the city and the city limits/ •/The man walked to and
fro while he waited for his phone call./ Compare: BACK AND FORTH.
[to another tune]
See: DANCE TO ANOTHER TUNE.
[to a T]
or [to a turn]{adv. phr.} Just right; to perfection;
exactly. •/The roast was done to a turn./ •/His nickname, Tiny, suited
him to a T./ Compare: TO THE LETTER.
[to bat]
See: GO TO BAT FOR.
[to bay]
See: BRING TO BAY.
[to-be]
{adj.} That is going to be; about to become. — Used after the
noun it modifies. •/Bob kissed his bride-to-be./ •/The principal of the
high school greeted the high school students-to-be on their last day in junior
high./
[to bed]
See: PUT TO BED, PUT TO BED WITH A SHOVEL.
[to be on the safe side]
{adv. phr.} To take extra precautions; reduce
or eliminate the possibility of a mistake, an error, or even danger. •/Dad
always keeps his valuables in a bank’s safe deposit box, just to be on the safe
side./ Compare: JUST IN CASE.
[to be sure]
{adv. phr.} Without a doubt; certainly; surely.
•/"Didn’t you say Mr. Smith would take us home?" "Oh, yes. To be sure, I
did."/ — Often used before a clause beginning with "but". •/He works
slowly, to be sure, but he does a good job./ •/To be sure, Jim is a fast
skater, but he is not good at doing figures./ Syn.: OF COURSE.
[to blame]
{adj. phr.} Having done something wrong; to be blamed;
responsible. •/John was to blame for the broken window./ •/The teacher
tried to find out who was to blame in the fight./
[to boot]
{adv. phr.} In addition; besides; as something extra. •/He
not only got fifty dollars, but they bought him dinner to boot./ Compare: FOR
GOOD MEASURE, IN THE BARGAIN, THROW IN.
[to date]
{adv.} or {adj. phr.} Up to the present time; until now.
•/To date twenty students have been accepted into the school./ •/The
police have not found the runaway to date./ •/Jim is shoveling snow to earn
money, but his earnings to date are small./ Syn.: SO FAR.