west /west/

1. The part of the sky where the sun sets at the equinoxes
2. One of the four cardinal points of the compass
3. (often with cap and the) the west part of the Earth or of a region, country or town
4. (with cap and the) the western countries of the world as distinct from the East or Orient
5. (with cap and the) in mid-to-late 20c politics, the countries of Europe and N America not under communist rule
6. (with cap and the) the western part of the USA, used relatively and vaguely, but usu the part to the west of the Appalachian Mountains, or to the west of the Mississippi or the Rocky Mountains (see also Middle West under middle and Far West under far)
7. (with cap) the western part of the Roman Empire or Holy Roman Empire (historical)
8. (usu with cap) in bridge, the player or position occupying the place designated ‘west’ on the table
9. The west wind (poetic)

1. Situated towards the west
2. Forming the part that is towards the west
3. (of wind) blowing from the west

Towards the west

To move or turn west

westˈer noun

A west wind or gale

To move or veer towards the west

westˈering noun and adjective

westˈerliness noun

westˈerly adjective

1. Situated in the west
2. Towards the west
3. (esp of the wind) coming from the west

1. On the west
2. Towards the west
3. From the west

A west wind

westˈern or (obsolete except in place names) westˈer adjective

1. Situated in the west or further to the west
2. Coming from the west
3. Towards the west
4. Connected with the west
5. Living in the west
6. (with cap) of, from or relating to the West

1. A westerner
2. A film or novel set in the western United States, esp the former Wild West

westˈerner noun

(sometimes with cap) a native or inhabitant of the west

westˈernism noun

A form of expression or characteristic peculiar to the west

westernizāˈtion or westernisāˈtion noun

westˈernize or westˈernise transitive verb

To give a western character to

To make or become like the people of Europe and America in customs, or like their institutions, practices or ideas

westˈernmost, westˈmost or (obsolete) westˈermost adjective

Situated furthest west

westˈing noun

1. Space or distance westward
2. Departure westward
3. Direction or course towards the west

westˈward adverb

Towards the west (also adjective and noun)

westˈwardly adverb and adjective

westˈwards adverb

Westward

westˈabout adverb

Towards the west

West Bank noun

A territory to the west of the river Jordan and the Dead Sea, annexed by Israel from Jordan in 1967, a degree of autonomy being given to the majority Palestinian population in the 1990s

West-Bankˈer noun

An inhabitant of the West Bank

westˈbound adjective

Travelling in a westward direction

westˈ-by-northˈ noun

The direction midway between west and west-north-west

westˈ-by-southˈ noun

The direction midway between west and west-south-west

West Country noun

The south-western part of England

West-country whipping noun (nautical)

A rope-whipping method where a half knot is made alternately on each side, finished off with a reef knot

West End noun

1. The fashionable quarter in the west of London
2. A similar district in other large towns

western blotting noun (immunology) see immunoblot under immune

Western Church noun

The Latin Church, having its doctrine and ritual from Rome, as distinguished from the Eastern or Greek Church

Western Empire noun

The western division of the later Roman Empire

Western European Time noun

One of the standard times used in Europe, being the same as Greenwich Mean Time (abbrev WET)

Western Front noun

The belt of land, running SE from the coast of Belgium through Rheims to Verdun, which lay between the German and Allied Forces in World War I

western hemisphere noun

(also with caps) the hemisphere of the world containing the Americas

western hemlock noun

A large evergreen conifer of NW America (Tsuga heterophylla) with drooping foliage

Western Isles plural noun

The Hebrides

western roll noun (athletics)

A style of high-jumping, taking off from the inside foot and clearing the bar face downwards

western saddle noun

(sometimes with cap) a stock saddle as used by cowboys, with a high pommel behind, and wide leather leg-protecting flaps

western swing noun

A style of country music combined with elements of jazz, popular in the 1930s

Western Wall noun

The Wailing Wall (qv under wail)

West Highland (white) terrier noun

A breed of small white terrier with a short stiff coat and small pointed ears

West Indian, West Indies see under Indian

westˈland noun

The west (also adjective)

westˈlander noun

West Lothian question noun

In political devolution, the issue raised by the fact that a region with its own assembly might also have a voice in a national parliament on matters concerning other areas, whereas other regions have a voice only in the national parliament

West Nile virus noun

An arthropod-borne virus which is a cause of severe meningitis and encephalitis in humans

westˈ-north-westˈ noun

The direction midway between west and north-west (also adjective and adverb)

West Saxon noun

A southern dialect of Old English, the chief literary dialect before the Norman Conquest

West Side noun

The western part of the city of New York

westˈ-south-westˈ noun

The direction midway between west and south-west (also adjective and adverb)

go west

1. To go to America
2. To go to the western states or western frontier
3. To die (with reference to the setting sun, the Islands of the Blest, or Tyburn), or to be destroyed or completely dissipated

westward ho!

To the west!, an old cry of London watermen travelling westwards

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