suffix, OE. -weardes, corresponds to OS., MLG. -wardes, Du. -waarts, OHG., MHG. -wartes, early mod.G. -warts, the ending of the neut. genit. sing. (used adverbially) of adjs. in OTeut. *-warðo-: see -WARD. A parallel formation of identical function, the adverbial neut. genit. sing. of adjs. in OTeut. *-werþo- (ablaut var. of *-warðo-), is represented by Goth. -wairþis, OHG. -wertes, early mod.G. -werts, now written -wärts. The adverbial genitives of adjs. in *-warðo-, *-werþo- appear to have in early Teut. differed little if at all in sense from the advb. accusatives.
1. In English the history of -wards as an advb. suffix is identical with that of -ward (see -WARD 3 and 4); beside every adv. in -ward there has always existed (at least potentially) a parallel formation in -wards, and vice versa. The two forms are so nearly synonymous (the general sense of the advs. being ‘in the direction indicated by the first element of the compound’) that the choice between them is mostly determined by some notion of euphony in the particular context; some persons, apparently, have a fixed preference for the one or the other form. Sometimes, however, the difference in the form of the suffix corresponds to a difference in the shade of meaning conveyed, though it would not be possible to give any general rule that would be universally accepted. Where the meaning to be expressed includes the notion of manner as well as direction of movement, -wards is required, as in ‘to walk backwards,’ ‘to write backwards.’ In other instances the distinction seems to be that -wards is used when the adv. is meant to express a definite direction in contrast with other directions: thus we say ‘it is moving forwards if it is moving at all,’ but ‘to come forward,’ not ‘forwards’ (see further the note on FORWARD adv.); so ‘to travel eastward’ expresses generally the notion of travelling in the direction of an easter goal, ‘to travel eastwards’ implies that the direction is thought of as contrasted with other possible directions. Hence -wards seems to have an air of precision which has caused it to be avoided in poetical use.
There appears to be no appreciable difference in meaning between the prepositions TOWARD and TOWARDS; the latter is now, at least in British use, more common colloquially. The now obsolete prepositions FROMWARD and FROMWARDS appear to have been perfectly synonymous.
2. In OE. the suffix -weardes, like -weard, was added to phrases containing the preps. tó and wið (see -WARD 5). In the locutions to … ward(s, from … ward(s (the so-called tmesis of the prep.), the two forms of the suffix were formerly equally common, but -wards now survives only in dialects.
3. Examples of to … wards.
a. with proper name or sb. without article or other defining word.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, I. 59. Yt is wel wist how þat Grekes stronge In armes with a þousand shippes went to Troyewardes.
c. 1430. Contin. Brut, 430. And tho the Kynge disposid hym to Godwardis.
1560, c. 1645. [see GODWARDS].
1622. R. Hawkins, Voy. S. Sea, xxii. 53. Our other Shippes … having kept their direct course, and far to windwards and Sea-wards, could not heare the report.
1650. W. Brough, Sacr. Princ. (1659), To Rdr. A 3. Using them [sc. Books] … as … Guides and Helps to Heaven-wards.
1892. M. C. F. Morris, Yorksh. Folk-Talk, 260. The addition of ‘wards’ to nouns as a suffix denoting direction is frequent in our folk-talk—as ‘ti Newton-wards’ or ‘fra Newton-wards.’
b. with sb. determined by definite article or otherwise.
1475. Earl Cambridge, in 43rd Rep. Dep. Kpr. Rec., 529. My wyttys arne not to ye world wardys so redy as yey werne.
1565. Sparke, in Hakluyt, Voy. (1589), 532. He marched to the townewards.
c. with pers. pron.
1387–8. T. Usk, Test. Love, I. x. (Skeat), l. 121. If that Margarite denyeth now nat to suffre her vertues shyne to thee-wardes with spredinge bemes. Ibid., III. viii. (Skeat), l. 148. Aungels blisse that to him-wardes was coming.
1399. Langl., Rich. Redeles, III. 76. Þe nedy nestlingis … burnisched her beekis and bent to-him-wardis.
c. 1400. Maundev. (Roxb.), xxviii. 128. And, when þe Cristen men sawe þam com to þam wardes, þai ware riȝt ferde.
1442. T. Beckington, Corr. (Rolls), II. 216. The continuancis of true obeissaunce unto us wards of our subgetts.
1472. Sir J. Paston, in P. Lett., III. 58. Also I praye yow feele my Lady off Norfolks dysposicion to me wards.
1574. W. Bourne, Regiment for Sea, xiv. (1577), 42. If you remoue the transitory but a quarter the length of the transitory to youwards.
1583. Golding, Calvin on Deut. cxx. 738. When God gathereth vs to him by death, wee cease not to liue still to himwardes.
a. 1586. Sidney, Arcadia, II. v. § 3. Ever concluding ech thing he did with his face to me-wards.
1635. J. Hayward, trans. Biondi’s Banish’d Virg., 20. Behaving my selfe unmanerly to-you-wards. Ibid., 169. The courteous inclination to me-wards, which to my good hap I discover in you.
1648. Herrick, Hesper., Love me little, 55. You say, to me-wards, your affection’s strong; Pray love me little, so you love me long.
4. Examples of from … wards.
1548. Vicary, Anat., viii. (1888), 63. Two Latitudinales comming from the backe-wardes to the wombe.
1574, 1669. [see SUNWARDS 1].
1612. R. Ch., Olde Thrift newly revived, 76. The degrees of a Quadrant are likewise 90, from the Centre towards your right hand, hauing the Sines vpmost, & holding the Centre from you wards.
1644. Digby, Nat. Bodies, xxx. (1658), 322. The objects comming into the glasse by a superficies not parallel … but slooping, from the objectwards.
1665. [see TAILWARDS].
1678. Moxon, Mech. Exerc., iv. 64. Not letting the Plain [= plane] totter to, or from you-wards.
5. Examples of nonce-words (advs.) f. sb. or proper name + -wards.
1670. T. Brooks, London’s Lament., 124. Yet the bent of their hearts will still be God-wards, Christ-wards, Heaven-wards, and Holiness-wards.
1842. Thackeray, Fitz-Boodle’s Prof., i. The nobles come peoplewards as the people … rise and mingle with the nobles.
1845. Faber, Lett. (1869), 229. Seventeen persons strikingly converted … some really being led in extraordinary ways, and perfectionwards.
1850. Thackeray, Contrib. Punch, Wks. 1898, VI. 683. A third darling, with … eyes of hazel, lifts them up ceiling-wards.
1866. Trollope, Claverings, iii. Mr. Burton was not … an ambitious man. He had never soared Parliamentwards.
1868. Rep. Munit. War, 60. The chick feature of the invention … consists in the contrivance adopted for preventing the escape of gas breech-wards.
1878. Huxley, in Fortn. Rev., XXIII. 170. The theory of the motion of the blood returned once more to the strait road which leads truthwards.
1887. Pall Mall Gaz., 21 July, 4/1. Russiawards the new line may be fire-fringed and fatal. Afghanwards it is no such thing.
1893. K. Grahame, Pagan Ess., 145. Aunt Eliza’s fowls—already strolling roostwards.
1893. D. C. Murray, Time’s Revenges, I. vii. 129. He was growing downwards, brutewards.
