west

Webster's Dictionary (1913)

Origin: AS. west, adv.; akin to D. west, G. west, westen, OHG. westan, Icel. vestr, Sw. vest, vester, vestan, Dan. vest, vesten, and perhaps to L. vesper evening, Gr. …. …. Cf. Vesper, Visigoth.

1. The point in the heavens where the sun is seen to set at the equinox; or, the corresponding point on the earth; that one of the four cardinal points of the compass which is in a direction at right angles to that of north and south, and on the left hand of a person facing north; the point directly opposite to east.

And fresh from the west is the free wind's breath.— William Cullen Bryant

2. A country, or region of country, which, with regard to some other country or region, is situated in the direction toward the west.

3. Specifically: (a) The Western hemisphere, or the New World so called, it having been discovered by sailing westward from Europe; the Occident. (b) U. S. Hist. & Geog. Formerly, that part of the United States west of the Alleghany mountains; now, commonly, the whole region west of the Mississippi river; esp., that part which is north of the Indian Territory, New Mexico, etc. Usually with the definite article.

West by north, West by south, according to the notation of the mariner's compass, that point which lies 11¼° to the north or south, respectively, of the point due west. — West northwest, West southwest, that point which lies 22½° to the north or south of west, or halfway between west and northwest or southwest, respectively. See Illust. of Compass.

1. Lying toward the west; situated at the west, or in a western direction from the point of observation or reckoning; proceeding toward the west, or coming from the west; as, a west course is one toward the west; an east and west line; a west wind blows from the west.

This shall be your west border.— Num. xxxiv. 6.

2. Church Designating, or situated in, that part of a church which is opposite to, and farthest from, the east, or the part containing the chancel and choir.

West end, the fashionable part of London, commencing from the east, at Charing Cross.

Origin: AS. west.

Westward.

1. To pass to the west; to set, as the sun. obsolete “The hot sun gan to west.” Geoffrey Chaucer

2. To turn or move toward the west; to veer from the north or south toward the west.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54 · with additions: 1913 supplement