Meaning & use
to the throne
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
having the right or position to become king or queen after the present ruler.
Grammar: Follows nouns such as heir, heiress, succession, or accession: she is heir to the throne.
Patterns
- heir to the throne
- succession to the throne
- accession to the throne
The young prince is second in line to the throne.
Her accession to the throne took place in a grand ceremony.
The war began over the succession to the throne.
Common combinations
- heir to the throne
- As the only child, she became heir to the throne.
- succession to the throne
- The law changed the rules of succession to the throne.
- claim to the throne
- Several nobles had a claim to the throne.
- next in line to the throne
- He is next in line to the throne after his mother.
Synonyms and how they differ
- to the crown
- Literary and less common; 'crown' can stand for the monarchy itself, not just the position.
Word family
- throne noun
- The ceremonial chair of a ruler, or the position of being a ruler.
- enthrone verb
- To officially place someone on a throne as ruler.
Commonly confused: to the throne or to the crown?
to the throne vs to the crown
'Throne' refers to the position of the monarch; 'crown' can refer to the monarch or the state itself.
Practice
The princess is first in line ______ the throne.
Choose one answer.
The fixed phrase is 'in line to the throne'. Other prepositions do not combine with 'throne' in this expression.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to the throne”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.