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west definition

west (west)

noun

  1. the direction to the left of a person facing north; direction in which sunset occurs: it is properly the point on the horizon at which the center of the sun sets at the equinox
  2. the point on a compass at 270°, directly opposite east
  3. a region or district in or toward this direction

Etymology: ME < OE, akin to Ger < IE *we- (< base *au-, down, away from) > Gr hesperos, L vesper, evening

adjective

  1. in, of, to, toward, or facing the west
  2. from the west a west wind
  3. designating the western part of a continent, country, etc. West Africa
  4. in, of, or toward that part of a church directly opposite the altar

adverb

in or toward the west; in a westerly direction
west Idioms

the West

    1. the Western Hemisphere
    2. the Western Hemisphere and Europe
  1. ☆ the western part of the U.S.; specif.,
    1. Historical the region west of the Allegheny Mountains
    2. the region west of the Mississippi, esp. the NW part
  2. the U.S. and its non-Communist allies in the West ()
West definition

West (west)

  1. West, Benjamin 1738-1820; Am. painter, in England after 1763
  2. West, Nathanael (born Nathan Wallenstein Weinstein) 1903-40; U.S. novelist
  3. West, Dame Rebecca (pseud. of Cicily, christened Cicely, Isabel Fairfield; Mrs. H. M. Andrews) 1892-1983; Brit. novelist & critic

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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