West word meaning and definition

[noun] the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North and South America
[noun] the region of the United States lying to the west of the Mississippi River
[noun] English painter (born in America) who became the second president of the Royal Academy (1738-1820)
[noun] United States film actress (1892-1980)
[noun] British writer (born in Ireland) (1892-1983)
[noun] the cardinal compass point that is a 270 degrees
[adv] to, toward, or in the west; "we moved west to Arizona"
[adjective] situated in or facing or moving toward the west

\West\, a. (Eccl.) 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\, n. [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. --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 Westen 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 111/4[deg] to the north or south, respectively, of the point due west. {West northwest}, {West southwest}, that point which lies 221/2[deg] to the north or south of west, or halfway between west and northwest or southwest, respectively. See Illust. of {Compass}.
\West\, a. 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. {West end}, the fashionable part of London, commencing from the east, at Charing Cross.
\West\, adv. [AS. west.] Westward.
\West\, v. i. 1. To pass to the west; to set, as the sun. [Obs.] ``The hot sun gan to west.'' --Chaucer. 2. To turn or move toward the west; to veer from the north or south toward the west.

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