Grammar: 'dangerous to' or 'dangerous for'

Question

Looking at the health warning on our beers, I'm sure the grammar is incorrect.

"Alcohol abuse is dangerous to your health."

Shouldn't that be:

"Alcohol abuse is dangerous for your health."

Used as a verb, we'd say: "This is a danger to you."

Used as an adjective shouldn't we say: "This is dangerous for you"?

Personally I think using dangerous as a modifier for "your health* is a bit odd. I'd prefer bad for your health, or (a bit more formal, perhaps) injurious/harmful to [your] health.

Irene · Answer 1 · 2011-12-12 06:42:25Z

up vote 5 down vote

Both prepositions are correct with dangerous. You are restricted to use for when you continue the sentence with a to-infinitive clause:

It would be dangerous for you to stay here.

This is a danger to you: This sentence doesn't use danger as a verb, but as a noun. This example is also correct.

answered Dec 12 '11 at 6:42

Irene
9,6301229

	And a danger for you would also be correct. – Peter Shor Dec 12 '11 at 12:19
	@PeterShor: Absolutely. I wrote the sentence as OP gave it to point out that "danger" isn't a verb here. – Irene Dec 12 '11 at 18:46

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