To leave oneself open to attack.

[Tara2]

Collins Dictionary:
to means: as concerns; with respect to; involving

to leave oneself open to attack.

Which one of the above synonyms can be replaced by "to"?

 

[GoesStation]

Teachers will know better than I do, but I have a feeling that it's not terribly productive for a learner to spend a lot of time studying the dictionary definitions of prepositions.

 

[Tara2]

But I think I can learn much more from dictionaries rather than my teacher.
If I don't use dictionaries how should I know "to" has all of these usages?

 

[Tara2]

The point about prepositions is that, in addition to a 'core' meaning or two, many can be used in dozens of idiosyncratic ways. It is far more useful for learners to note the phrases in which they are used rather than try to pin down the precise meaning of the prepositions within the phrases.

But Piscean the last question please: How does "he's to home" mean "to have someone to the house for dinner"?

 

[Tara2]

It doesn't. He's to home means nothing to me.

I found it here:

18.
at or in (a specified place) [to have someone to the house for dinner]
often a dial. usage [he's to home]
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/to_1

 

[Tarheel]

Maybe it's used some places instead of at home. i wouldn't worry about it too much.

 

[Tara2]

Maybe it's used some places instead of at home. i wouldn't worry about it too much.

Could you explain more?

 

[Tarheel]

I don't know what more there is to say. People either say they're home or they're at home. As for to home, I don't know. That is, I don't know who says that. And I don't think there's any more to say about it. Except this: don't worry about it. You won't run across it very often.

 

[emsr2d2]

My Irish flatmate used to say it.

"I'm to home now/shortly" = "I'm going home now/shortly".
"I'm to my bed" = I'm going to bed.