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REFERENCE

too

adv. degree
A1 Beginner Oxford US //ˈtu// UK //tˈuː// too Archaic General-service Informal

adv. more than what is needed or wanted. You can also use it to mean 'also' or 'as well'.

adv. to a higher degree than is desirable, permissible, or possible; additionally or likewise.


SIMPLE

The coffee is too hot to drink right now.

CONTEXTUAL

The suitcase was too heavy for the overhead compartment, so the passenger had to check it in at the gate.

COMPLEX

While the proposal was theoretically sound, the board found the implementation costs too high to justify given the current economic downturn.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English to (“also, in addition to”), from Old English tō (“furthermore, also, besides”), adverbial use of preposition tō (“to, into”). The sense of "in addition, also" deriving from the original meaning of "apart, separately" (compare Old English prefix tō- (“apart”)). Doublet of to; see there for more.

Usage

When meaning 'more than enough', it precedes the adjective or adverb it modifies; when meaning 'also', it typically sits at the end of the clause.

Pitfall

The movie was very long for me to watch.The movie was too long for me to watch.Use 'too' instead of 'very' when expressing that a quality is excessive for a specific purpose or result.

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