... to get my bearings in the usage of this expression! When do we use 'to'? Канэшно можно и по-русски!

to
–preposition
1. (used for expressing motion or direction toward a point, person, place, or thing approached and reached, as opposed to from): They came to the house.
2. (used for expressing direction or motion or direction toward something) in the direction of; toward: from north to south.
3. (used for expressing limit of movement or extension): He grew to six feet.
4. (used for expressing contact or contiguity) on; against; beside; upon: a right uppercut to the jaw; Apply varnish to the surface.
5. (used for expressing a point of limit in time) before; until: to this day; It is ten minutes to six. We work from nine to five.
6. (used for expressing aim, purpose, or intention): going to the rescue.
7. (used for expressing destination or appointed end): sentenced to jail.
8. (used for expressing agency, result, or consequence): to my dismay; The flowers opened to the sun.
9. (used for expressing a resulting state or condition): He tore it to pieces.
10. (used for expressing the object of inclination or desire): They drank to her health.
11. (used for expressing the object of a right or claim): claimants to an estate.
12. (used for expressing limit in degree, condition, or amount): wet to the skin; goods amounting to $1000; Tomorrow's high will be 75 to 80°.
13. (used for expressing addition or accompaniment) with: He added insult to injury. They danced to the music. Where is the top to this box?
14. (used for expressing attachment or adherence): She held to her opinion.
15. (used for expressing comparison or opposition): inferior to last year's crop; The score is eight to seven.
16. (used for expressing agreement or accordance) according to; by: a position to one's liking; to the best of my knowledge.
17. (used for expressing reference, reaction, or relation): What will he say to this?
18. (used for expressing a relative position): parallel to the roof.
19. (used for expressing a proportion of number or quantity) in; making up: 12 to the dozen; 20 miles to the gallon.
20. (used for indicating the indirect object of a verb, for connecting a verb with its complement, or for indicating or limiting the application of an adjective, noun, or pronoun): Give it to me. I refer to your work.
21. (used as the ordinary sign or accompaniment of the infinitive, as in expressing motion, direction, or purpose, in ordinary uses with a substantive object.)
22. Mathematics. raised to the power indicated: Three to the fourth is 81 (34 = 81).
–adverb 23. toward a point, person, place, or thing, implied or understood.
24. toward a contact point or closed position: Pull the door to.
25. toward a matter, action, or work: We turned to with a will.
26. into a state of consciousness; out of unconsciousness: after he came to.
Idiom
27. to and fro. fro (def. 2).

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Milanya I appreciate your efforts, but I said "Expression", not "preposition", to say nothing of the fact that "to" in I dare to is not a preposition, it's a particle.

I am looking forward to the answer if I should omit it and when.

Franz Ferdinand, I have no idea what you are talking about, my English grammar is decades old. In what context is "to" a particle, not a preposition? Can you give some examples of phrases where you might or might not use to? You mean "I dare to ask" vs. "I dare ask"? For one thing, this particular phrase sounds antiquated at best, so I would not use it in attempting to identify contemporary usage.

TO swim - it's a particle
to swim TO my friend - a preposition
The latter has ... mmmm.. падежную function, the former has none.
Correct me if I'm wrong, I am not a grammatist as well!

chaikaand which phrase sounds aniquated? With "to" or without it?
Many thanks ^)

Franz Ferdinand maybe if you rephrase your inquiry...So far it is not clear to me what is it you are interested in.

Franz Ferdinand
Если без "to", то в основном речь идёт о группе устойчивых словосочетаний и модальности.

dare dares daring dared
Dare sometimes behaves like an ordinary verb, for example `He dared to speak' and `He doesn't dare to speak' and sometimes like a modal, for example `He daren't speak'.
1 If you do not dare to do something, you do not have enough courage to do it, or you do not want to do it because you fear the consequences. If you dare to do something, you do something which requires a lot of courage.
Most people hate Harry but they don't dare to say so...
We have had problems in our family that I didn't dare tell Uncle.
VERB: oft with brd-neg, V to-inf, V inf

Dare is also a modal.
Dare she risk staying where she was?...
The government dare not raise interest rates again...
`Are you coming with me?'*`I can't, Alice. I daren't.'
MODAL

2 If you dare someone to do something, you challenge them to prove that they are not frightened of doing it.
Over coffee, she lit a cigarette, her eyes daring him to comment...
VERB: V n to-inf

3 A dare is a challenge which one person gives to another to do something dangerous or frightening.
When found, the children said they'd run away for a dare.
N-COUNT: usu sing, usu as/for/on a N

4 If you say to someone `don't you dare' do something, you are telling them not to do it and letting them know that you are angry. (SPOKEN)
Allen, don't you dare go anywhere else, you hear?
PHRASE: oft PHR inf feelings

5 You say `how dare you'' when you are very shocked and angry about something that someone has done. (SPOKEN)
How dare you pick up the phone and listen in on my conversations!...
PHRASE: usu PHR inf feelings

6 You use `dare I say it' when you know that what you are going to say will disappoint or annoy someone.
Politicians usually attract younger women, dare I say it, because of the status they have in society.
PHRASE: PHR with cl politeness

7 You can use `I dare say' or `I daresay' before or after a statement to indicate that you believe it is probably true.
PHRASE: PHR that, cl PHR
= I suppose
(c) HarperCollins Publishers.

Milanya
All right.
Which is correct: I dare ask or I dare TO ask? If both are ok, what's the difference?

Anastasia
thank you very much again, Nastya ^)

it will take me some time to analyse your wholesome piece of knowledge

Franz Ferdinand

Which is correct: I dare ask or I dare TO ask? If both are ok, what's the difference?

I dare ask - is a small talk cliche (eg How old are you, I dare ask? = Might I ask how old you are?)
I dare to ask = I am not afraid to ask (eg I dare to ask all sorts of questions:)

Anastasia
пока Вы не убежали, не могли бы поделиться первоисточником? Уж больно разжевано, как раз для таких, как я!

Anastasia
То есть нейтральное "осмелиццо" это dare TO ??

Franz Ferdinand

пока Вы не убежали, не могли бы поделиться первоисточником?

опыт, личный-с:)

Ну а длинный пост из словаря был взят, там внизу написано какого.

Franz Ferdinand

То есть нейтральное "осмелиццо" это dare TO ??]

Не совсем. Тут модальность нужно учитывать
I dare to ask for help. - Это скорее что-то вроде "Я не боюсь обращаться за помощью", типа черта характера, особенность поведения.
I dare ask for help. - А это уже модальный глагол и присутствует оттенок сиюминутности, одноразовости действия или же намерение выполнить его в ближайшем будущем - Как вариант возможного значения: (Ничего, если я сейчас) осмелюсь (рискну) обратиться за помощью? PS Без контекста невозможно дать точный перевод, как Вы сами понимаете:)

>How old are you, I dare ask?

Dare I dispute Anastasia's word order here? =:^0

Anastasia
эге..
похоже, дело близится к развязке!
с to - обычный
без to - модальный!
В яблочко?

chaika
I dare say no one will protest!