Forms: 1– west (1 wæst), 3 Orm. wesst, 3–7 weste (5 Sc. veste), Sc. 5, 7–9 wast, 6–7 weast(e, 6 Sc. weist, weyst, 7 Sc. vaist). [Com. Teutonic: OE. west adv. = OFris. west (WFris. west, NFris. wêst, wâst), OS. -west (in north-, sûthwest; MLG. and LG., MDu. and Du. west), OHG. west- (G. west), ON. and Icel. (with r- suffix; cf. austr EAST, etc.) vestr (MSw. väster, Sw. vester); MSw. väst (rare), Norw., Sw., Da. vest (prob. after LG.); not recorded in Gothic. The primitive Germanic stem *wes-t- appears to be an extension of the *wes- found in Gr. ἔσπερος, ἑσπέρα, L. vesper, vespera evening, west. In HG. dialects abend is similarly used for ‘west.’
In OE. west occurs only as an adv., the use as noun and adj. being a later development. In the cognate languages it is usually (in some exclusively) a noun in the earlier periods, the adverbial use coming later, and the adjectival being represented only by the first element in compounds (OE. west- in west-dǽl, etc.).
The fact that the Romanic forms for ‘east’ (F. est, etc.) have been adopted from English indicates that this, rather than any other Germanic language, is also the source of F. ouest (OF. west), Sp. and Pg. oeste.]
A. adv. Towards or in the direction of that part of the horizon where the sun sets.
1. a. With reference to movement, extension or direction.
In Sc. (and Anglo-Irish) use freq. added to verbs of going or coming to indicate the general direction: see quots. under (b).
(a) O. E. Chron., an. 886. Her for se here eft west þe ær east ʓelende.
944. Charter of Eadmund, in Birch, Cartul. Sax., II. 541. Þonne west andlang weʓes on ðone lytlan beorʓ.
c. 995. Battle of Maldon, 97. Wodon þa wælwulfas,… west ofer Pantan.
1033. in Kemble, Cod. Dipl., IV. 45. Of ðam herpaðe west … on ðone stan; of ðon stane west … on Fiducforda.
c. 1205. Lay., 1278. Heo ferden forð & eeuer heo drowen west & norð.
c. 1350. Libeaus Desc., 1068 (Kaluza). Whan sche was take wiþ gile, He fliȝ for greet perile West into Wirhale.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxxvii. 333. Sattan … I schall walke este and weste, And garre þame werke wele werre.
1489. Acc. Ld. High Treas. Scot., I. 116. A man to pass to Edinburgh to haist the gunnis west.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 35 b. Where it weneth to go eest, it gothe west.
1581. Borough, Discours Var. Cumpas (1585), G j. The course set downe from Sillie to Cape Raso is due West.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., III. i. 145. There lies your way, due West.
1724. De Foe, Tour Gt. Brit., I. iii. 1. I intended once to have gone due West this Journey.
1760. R. Rogers, Jrnls. (1769), 197. We … kept the following courses:… west-by-north one mile, west two miles.
1848. B. West, Cont. Ecclesiol., 480. If the basilica orientated west. Ibid., 484. The remaining three [churches]…, orienting themselves truly to the east, have their altars facing due west.
1859. H. Kingsley, G. Hamlyn, xxv. Splendid pastures, which stretch west farther than any man has been yet.
1892. Kipling, Barrack-room Ballads, etc., L’Envoi. It’s North you may run to the rime-ringed sun … Or West to the Golden Gate.
(b) a. 1724. Ew-bughts, Marion, 32, in Ramsay, Tea-t. Misc. And soon as my chin has nae hair on, I shall come west, and see ye.
c. 1730. Burt, Lett. N. Scot., viii. (1754), I. 181. He told us we must go West a Piece (though there was no Appearance of the Sun) and then incline to the North.
1887. Annie S. Swan, Gates of Eden, i. 14. Weel a weel, tell them I’ll come wast when I’m ready.
b. In special applications: (a) To go west, of the sun; also fig., to die, perish, disappear. (b) To America, or to the Western States.
Also (c) in Highland Sc. and Anglo-Irish use freq. rendering Gael. siar, iar (= west, back) in the sense of ‘back,’ ‘away,’ ‘up,’ or ‘down.’
The immediate source of the modern use in (a), which became common during the Great War, has not been established.
(a) c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 13365. For hit was nyght, the sonne goth west.
c. 1500. Chaucer’s L. G. W., 61 (Trin. Camb.). Assone As the son gynneth go west.
15[?]. Poems Gray MS., vi. 42 (S.T.S.), 55. Women and mony wilsome wy as wynd or wattir ar gane west.
1915. E. Corri, Thirty Yrs. Boxing Referee, 2. I shall once again be in the company of dear old friends now ‘gone West.’
1919. J. B. Morton, Barber of Putney, ix. ‘All the Lewis guns gone west,’ someone said.
1919. Blackw. Mag., Sept., 368/2. Their parcels … went persistently ‘west.’
1925. Cole, Death of Millionaire, vi. 57. Wilson sighed. ‘There’s valuable evidence gone west,’ he said. ‘It may be hard to pick up the trail now.’
(b) 1839. Mrs. Kirkland, New Home, xviii. 122. I could not help thinking that one must come ‘west’ in order to learn a little of everything.
1851. J. L. B. Soule, in Terre Haute Express (Hoyt). Go West, young man! Go West.
1878. W. Nash, Oregon, 6. After some debate we settled to go West by the Pennsylvania railroad, going South … to Philadelphia, and thence West by way of Pittsburg.
1879. W. Saunders, Through Light Cont., 35. ‘Go West, young man,’ was Horace Greeley’s advice, and West I went accordingly.
(c) 1893. W. R. Le Fanu, 70 Yrs. Ir. Life, vii. (ed. 2), 90. ‘Why didn’t you wash the back of your neck?’ ‘’Twas too far west, my lady.’… ‘’Tis not a cold I have at all … ’tis a fly that’s gone west in my stomach.’
2. With reference to place or location.
c. 888. Ælfred, Boeth., xxxix. § 13. Se … æfensteorra, þonne he bið west ʓesewen, þonne tacnað he æfen.
a. 900. O. E. Chron., an. 894. Þa he þa wið þone here þær wæst abisʓod wæs.
971. Blickl. Hom., 129. Ʒerusalem … is west þonon from þære stowe on anre mile.
c. 1200. Ormin, 12125. Þa fowwre daless alle Þatt Æst, & Wesst, & Suþ, & Norrþ Þiss middellærd bilukenn.
a. 1250. Owl & Night., 923. East & west, souþ & norþ, I do wel fayre my mester.
c. 1310. in Wright, Lyric P., xviii. 59. Whether y be south other west.
c. 1350. Libeaus Desc., 2128. Est, west, norþ and souþe, Be maistris of har mouþe Many man couþ þey schende.
14[?]. Sailing Directions (Hakl. Soc., 1889), 18. Londay and the old hede of Hindilforde lye west and by north.
1559. Cunningham, Cosmogr. Glass, 172. Fiue Ilandes … Of which that whiche is most west, is called properlye Ebuda.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit. (1637), 459. Where it [Suffolk] lieth West and toward Cambridgeshire.
a. 1626. Bacon, New Atlantis, 14. The Phœnicians … had great Fleetes. So had the Carthaginians their Colony, which is yet further West.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, II. (Globe), 379. One of the Islands which lay West.
a. 1788. Burns, Ploughman, 9. I hae been east, I hae been west.
1890. Hardwicke’s Sci.-Gossip, XXVI. 256. Another imaginary line so many degrees east or west of the meridian of Greenwich.
1905. H. G. Wells, Kipps, II. v. § 1. We shall have a nice little flat somewhere, not too far west.
b. Followed by of.
1577. Harrison, England, II. i. 49 b/1, in Holinshed. The Kenet ryseth aboue Ouerton, v or vj myles west of Marleborow.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., IV. i. 19. West of this Forrest, scarcely off a mile, In goodly forme, comes on the Enemie.
1728. [see WESTERLING].
1784. Filson, Kentucky, 22. Lees town is west of Lexington.
1807. Southey, Espriella’s Lett., II. 219. The Lakes … lay south-west, and west of Keswick.
1875. Ruskin, Morn. Florence, i. 5. A few hundred yards west of you … is the Baptistery of Florence.
c. U.S. In the West, out West. (Cf. C. 3 b.)
1888. Howells, Annie Kilburn, xi. 126. One of ’em married West, and her husband left her.
3. With modifying addition (in senses 1 and 2), as west by south, etc. Also WEST-NORTH-WEST, -SOUTH-WEST.
1577. Harrison, England, II. i. 48 b/1, in Holinshed. The Winrush … meeteth wyth the Isis west by south of Northmore.
1760. R. Rogers, Jrnls. (1769), 197. We … then steered … west-by-south two miles, west-by-north four miles.
4. Sc. Ellipt. as prep. a. At, in, or to the west of. b. Towards the west along (a road, etc.).
1587. Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot., 480/2. Insuper creavit dictum Burgum de Anstruther super occidentali torrentis (west the burne). Ibid. (1589), 573/1. Strekand west the hie streit to the dyk.
1728. Ramsay, Monk & Miller’s Wife, 48. But step ye west the Kill A Bow-shot, and ye’ll find my Hame.
Mod. I saw him rinnin’ wast the road. He bides wast the toun.
B. 1. Quasi-sb. = C.
c. 1200. Ormin, 11258. All þiss middellærd iss ec O fowwre daless dæledd, Onn Æst, o Wesst, o Suþ, o Norrþ.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 22139. Fra est to west, fra north to soth, He sal do mak his sarmun cuth.
a. 1300. K. Horn, 1177 (Camb. MS.). Ihc habbe go mani Mile, Wel feor bi ȝonde weste.
c. 1391. Chaucer, Astrol., I. § 15. A longe croys in 4 quarters from est to West, fro sowth to north.
c. 1400. 26 Pol. Poems, xxiv. 208. Lord, whenne þou comest to deme so Al þe world be fyre, boþe est and west.
1500–20. Dunbar, Poems, xxiv. 23. Thocht he this warld had eist and west, All wer pouertie but glaidness.
1575. A. Fleming, Virg. Bucol., II. 67. Th’ increasing shadowes doubleth the sunne going downe at West.
1577. D. Settle, Frobisher’s Voy., B iij. Wee … followed our course between West and North west, vntill the 4. of Iulie.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., V. v. 471. The Romaine Eagle From South to West, on wing soaring aloft Lessen’d her selfe.
1648. T. Shepard, Clear Sun-shine of Gosp., 30. A brighter day … wherein East & West shall sing the song of the Lambe.
1674. Sir J. Moore, Math. Compend., 93. From West to East the account is by degrees and parts, or by hours.
1789. S. Shaw, Tour W. Eng., 444. The principal street extending from east to west is remarkably paved.
1819. Keats, Song Four Faeries, 45. So you sometimes follow me to my home, far, far, in west.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, II. 64. Our statues!—not of those that men desire,… Nor stunted squaws of West or East.
1893. Kipling, Barrack-room Ballads, etc., 75. Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.
1904. H. Belloc, Old Road, 31. Sea-going vessels … would have calm water … so long as the wind was south of west.
2. By west. † a. In the west; on the west side; also westward of. Obs.
13[?]. K. Horn, 5 (Harl.). Kyng he wes by weste. Ibid. (c. 1300), 1366 (Laud). He woneþ alby weste.
c. 1305. St. Kenelm, 18, in E. E. P. (1862), 43. Temese into þe est see, & seuerne bi weste.
c. 1315. Shoreham, VII. 64. By weste hy grendeþ, alle þyse, And comeþ aȝen þer hy aryse.
a. 1400. Minor Poems Vernon MS. (1901), 696. As I wandrede her bi weste ffaste vnder a forest syde.
c. 1470. Golagros & Gaw., 419. Quhare wourschip walkis be west.
a. 1500. Leland, Itin. (1764), III. 7. A Castel a Mile by West from Markesin.
1577. Harrison, England, II. i. 50/1, in Holinshed. The Weie or the Waye rising by west, cometh from Olsted. Ibid., 53/2. By west of Auterton point also lyeth another hauen.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., V. vi. 22. Not farre away, but little wide by West, His dwelling was.
† b. As a compound prep.: On the west side of, to the west of (see BY prep. 9). Also fig. (quot. 1612). Obs.
c. 1275. Lay., 2136. Camber hafde al him seolf bi weste Seuarne.
14[?]. Sailing Directions (Hakl. Soc., 1889), 16. And by west belille and Ortingere southwest.
1482. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 203/1. In Southe Wales, by west the blak Montayne.
1525. in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 1527, 96/1. Nixt befor Sanct Michaelis altar be West the said altar.
1612. Davies, Why Ireland, etc. (1787), 177. Whereupon grew that bye-word used by the Irish, viz. that they dwelt by west the law, which dwelt beyond the river of the Barrow.
1661. Lamont, Diary (Maitl. Club), 139. The Earle of Weyms beganne to bueld a new harbory for shipping, a little be west Saltgreine.
1714. R. Smith, Poems of Controv. (1853), 2. Let all be-west the Spittel come.
c. Naut. Indicating certain points of the compass (see BY prep. 9 b).
14[?]. Sailing Directions (Hakl. Soc., 1889), 14. Huschaunt and the pople hope lien north and by west south. Ibid., 20. For cause of that Rok ye must go north and by west.
1598. W. Phillip, trans. Linschoten, I. xciii. 165. We held our course … from thence south West and by West, vnto the cape de Bona Speranza.
1762. Falconer, Shipwr., II. 242. South and by west the threatening demon blew.
C. sb. (Usually with the.)
1. That one of the four cardinal points that lies opposite the east and at right angles to the north and the south; that part of the horizon or of the sky that is near the place of the sun’s setting.
In the west, of the wind, = blowing from the west.
c. 1180. Newminster Cartul. (Surtees), 118. Inde versus le West per viridem viam.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 94. Ase is þe sunne gleam, þet smit from east into þe west.
c. 1290. Brendan, 48, in S. Eng. Leg., 221. We comen to a watur … þat euere fram-ward þe est, toward þe west it drovȝ.
c. 1305. St. Kenelm, 13, in E. E. P. (1862), 48. Engelond. is … two hondred [miles] brod iwis Fram þe est in to þe west.
1382. Wyclif, Exod. x. 19. The Lord … made blow the moost hidows wynde fro the west.
1387. Trevisa, Higden, I. 45. Þe lengþe or þe erþe þat men woneþ ynne from þe est to þe west, þat is from Ynde to Hercules is pilers.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), v. 46. Toward the West, is the Contree of Coston.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 294/28. Þan is hys hed leyde into þe west and hys fette into þe est.
1526. Tindale, Luke xii. 54. When ye se a cloude ryse out off the west, strayght waye ye saye: we shall have a shewer.
1577. Googe, Heresbach’s Husb., I. 42. Leauing open a space for twoo doores, a fore doore and a backe doore, but so, as neyther of them open to the West.
1614. E. Wright, Dialling, C 2. Your face being turned towards the North, your right hand sheweth the East, your left hand the West.
1667. Dryden, Ind. Emp., V. ii. I in the Eastern Parts, and rising Sky, You in Heav’ns Downfal, and the West must lie.
1712. J. Morton, Nat. Hist. Northampt., 422. Pikes … never bite more freely, than when the Wind is in the West.
a. 1723. Bingham, Antiq. Chr. Ch., XI. vii. § 6. In renouncing the Devil they had their Faces to the West.
a. 1748. Watts, Summer Evening, 5. Now the fair traveller’s come to the west,… He paints the sky gay, as he sinks to his rest.
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, III. xxiv. Her blue eyes sought the west afar.
1848. B. Webb, Cont. Ecclesiol., 156. A rood,… between which and the communion-table was a small prayer-desk facing the west, i. e. the people.
1876. Bridges, Growth of Love, xxix. I travel to thee with the sun’s first rays, That lift the dark west and unwrap the night.
1925. J. Metcalfe, Smoking Log, etc., 116. When the wind was in the west.
transf. and fig. 1613. Donne, Epithal., 181. May never age, or error overthwart With any West, these radiant eyes, with any North, this heart.
1649. C. Wase, Sophocles, Electra, 47. O joyfuil day! Thou hast restord our light, Wrapt up in constant night, In one continu’d West.
1655. Fanshawe, Camoens’ Lusiad, I. xxxii. 7. But now he fears that Glorie’s neer it’s West, In the black Water of Oblivion.
b. That quarter which with regard to the speaker or some particular place lies in a westerly direction.
1537. Registr. Aberdon. (Maitl. Club), I. 412. His tenment lyand in Auld Abirdene afornent þe cors of þe samynge one þe weist.
1671. Milton, P. R., IV. 448. A Sunny hill … Back’d on the North and West by a thick wood.
1773. Noorthouck, New Hist. London, 597. Cordwainers-ward … is bounded … on the west by Bread-street-ward.
a. 1857. Kemble, Horæ Ferales (1863), 25. The Lithuanians of Prussia on the west.
c. Followed by of.
1613. Zouche, Dove, B 6 b. Aboue Iudæa, bord’ring on the West Of great Armenia, lesser Asia lyes.
a. 1660. Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol Soc.), I. 152. The armie marched to Bellaghnegrege on the weaste of Aleage.
1715. trans. Gregory’s Astron. (1726), I. 318. According as the Meridian of the one lies to the East or to the West of the Meridian of the other.
1789. S. Shaw, Tour W. Eng., 563. To the west of this … lies Overton.
1834. H. Ainsworth, Rookwood, IV. ii. Harrow-on-the-Hill … lying to the west of the green on which they walked.
2. spec. a. The western part of the world. Now commonly, Europe as distinguished from Asia.
c. 1205. Lay., 1231. Bi-ȝende France i þet west þu scalt finden a wunsum lord.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 2. Engelond his … Iset in þe on ende of þe worlde as al in þe west.
1382. Wyclif, Matt. viii. 11. Manye shulen come fro the est and west.
c. 1420. Anturs of Arth., 703. Waynour gared wisely write in þe west, To al þe religious to rede and to singe.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., I. i. 154. All the wealthy Kingdomes of the West.
1613. Zouche, Dove, B 4. First Bacchus … set vp trophees in the conquer’d East: Oh would he had gone on as he begunne, And neuer turned to subdue the West!
1761. Gray, Desc. Odin, 63. In the caverns of the west.
1784. Cowper, Task, VI. 811. Eastern Java there Kneels with the native of the farthest west.
1802. Wordsw., Extinction of Venetian Rep., 2. Once did She hold the gorgeous east in fee; And was the safeguard of the west.
1864. Tennyson, Aylmer’s F., 348. He never yet had set his daughter forth Here in the woman-markets of the west, Where our Caucasians let themselves be sold.
1892. Kipling, Barrack-room Ballads, etc., 188. The Lords of Their Hands assembled; from the East and the West they drew.
1902. A. S. Hurd, Naval Efficiency, 109. In the West there seems to be an impression that the fleet of Japan is a mere matter of show.
b. The western portion of the Roman world after its division into two empires in A.D. 395.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist., Socrates Schol., VI. i. 360. When ye Emperour Theodosius had departed this life … his sonnes tooke in hand the gouernment of the Romaine empire. Arcadius ruled the East and Honorius the West.
1610. R. Field, Fifth Bk. Ch., xxxv. 194. The Bishop of Rome … called a Synode of al the Bishops of the West.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xxxiii. (1787), III. 327. Honorius, emperor of the West.
1790. Priestley, Gen. Hist. Chr. Ch., II. 332. Having seen what was doing in the East, let us now turn our eyes towards the West, where Valentinian governed.
1840. Milman, Hist. Chr., II. viii. II. 207. Of the persecution under Severus there are few, if any, traces in the West.
1865. Bryce, Holy Rom. Emp., iii. (1866), 27. Odoacer … resolved to … extinguish the title and office of Emperor of the West.
c. The western parts of Europe.
1916. J. Buchan, Nelson’s Hist. War, XIII. 121. A strong offensive in the West might induce the Allies to make a premature counter-attack.
3. The western part of a country, region or area; spec. a. of England, Great Britain, Scotland or Ireland.
14[?]. Trevelyan Papers (Camden), 67. The Boor’ is farr in to the west, That shold vs helpe wt shild and sper’.
15[?]. Ladye Bessie (Percy Soc.), 53. When thou rydest into the weste, I pray the take noe companye But such as shall be of the beste.
1631. Heywood (title), The Fair Maid of the West.
1651. J. Nicoll, Diary (Bannatyne Club), 54. Thir ministeris … held thair awin secreit meetingis in the west.
1666. Earl Orrery, St. Lett. (1742), 158. From Kingsale I intend to go to Bandon to settle that town, and all the West.
1693–4. Luttrell, Brief Rel. (1857), III. 248. Letters from the west say, our Streights fleet are clear of the Lands End.
1731. Flying Post, 10 Aug., 2/1. Edinburgh…. The Earl of Aberdeen is set out for the West to visit his daughter.
a. 1734. Wodrow, Collect. Lives Reformers (1834), I. 109. Mr. Willock was appointed … Superintendant of the West.
1793. Coleridge, Sonn. River Otter, 1. Wild streamlet of the West!
1836. Southey, Lett. (1856), IV. 465. My purpose is to … take Cuthbert with me into the West by way of Bristol.
1841. Lever, O’Malley, xii. He was peaceably taking his departure from the West on Saturday.
1869. A. Macdonald, Love, Law & Theol., xii. 189. The aunt … resided in the vicinity of the capital of the west [i.e., Glasgow].
b. The western States of North America.
Formerly the country west of the original thirteen states, now usually taken to mean the country west (or north-west) of the Mississippi River. Sometimes limited, as The Far, Middle West.
1829. Everett, Orat. & Sp. (1850), I. 203. I have made a journey of between three and four thousand miles in the west.
1837. Peck, Gaz. Illinois, Introd. p. vi. No state in the ‘Great West’ has attracted so much attention … as that of Illinois.
1855. Putnam’s Monthly Mag., April, 380/2. I am disgusted with the West. If ever you catch me at large, anywhere west of the Alleghanies, again, you may shoot me and get rid of a ninny.
1872. Schele De Vere, Americanisms, 165. The States west of the Mississippi continue to be called the West.
1878. H. H. Vivian, Notes Tour Amer., 101. Omaha is the last city of the West. After you pass it you are in the ‘Far West’—in the State of Nebraska.
1886. F. M. Crawford, Tale Lonely Parish, v. In the mining districts of the West, in up-country stations in India.
c. The western part of a specified country, etc.
1613. Zouche, Dove, B 5. The west of Asia, once Earths Paradice.
1789. S. Shaw (title), A Tour to the West of England.
1838. Dowling, Introd. Eccl. Hist., 37. The political and social condition of the west of Europe.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxxvii. Pretty nigh all over the West of England.
ellipt. 1894. C. Vickerman, Woollen Spinning, 232. Our super west cloths are all tender … when finished. [Ibid., 271. A plain super west of England cloth.]
d. The West End of London.
1823. W. T. Moncrieff, Tom & Jerry, III. iii. Let the West boast of their highflyers as they will, you’ll find there are still some choice creatures of society left here.
1871. A. Austin, Golden Age, 34. In one brief hour behold him curled and drest, And borne on wings of fashion to the West!
4. Ch. Hist. The Catholic Church in the Western Roman Empire and countries adjacent to it; the Roman or Latin Church.
1586. [? J. Case], Praise Mus., ix. 94. Look vpon the East and the West, the Greeke and Latine Churches, and you shall finde this to be true.
1652. E. Sparke, Scint. Altaris, 4. Do not all the golden Fountains of the Fathers (both of the East and West, the Greek and Latine Church) flow with the same streams?
1790. Priestley, Gen. Hist. Chr. Ch., II. 314. Though the bishops of the West had been deceived at Ariminum, they had all abjured the blasphemies of that council.
1850. Neale, Hist. Eastern Ch., I. Introd. 9. I shall constantly reckon among the Saints those whom the Eastern Church, whether with or without the consent of the West, so accounts.
1877. J. D. Chambers, Div. Worship, 233. According to the universal custom of the West, this water should be cold.
5. The west wind.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, III. v. 133. They have reckoned two other windes, the East of summer, and the East of winter, and by consequence, two Weasts.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XII. 478. Now out flies The gloomy West, and whistles in the skies.
1814. Scott, Lord of Isles, VI. xxi. Dark rolling like the ocean-tide, When the rough west hath chafed his pride.
1865. Swinburne, Poems & Ballads, Ser. I. 128. As roses, when the warm West blows, Break to full flower.
b. A westerly direction of the wind.
1842. Dickens, Amer. Notes, xvi. Some nautical authority had told me a day or two previous, ‘anything with west in it, will do.’
D. adj.
1. Lying towards the west; situated at or in the west; western, westerly. † Of a planet: Seen in the western part of the sky (trans. L. occidentalis).
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, ii. (Paul), 70. Syne Nero In þe weste partis has lattyn hym go.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVIII. 113. Þere I sawe sothely … Out of þe west coste a wenche, as me thouȝte, Cam walkynge in þe way.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., IX. xxiv. (1495), 361. A weste sterre that hyghte Vesperus.
c. 1400. Maundev. (1839), v. 44. At Marrok, upon the West See, duelte the Calyffee of Barbaryenes.
c. 1460. Oseney Reg., 176. j. rodde of Arable londe vppon Otehulle at forthsheter, þat is to say, the more weste Rodde.
1482. Rolls of Parlt., VI. 204/1. Grete part of the Westbordures of Scotlande.
a. 1500. Leland, Itin. (1764), III. 9. The very Westeste Pointe of Cornewaulle. Ibid., 46. The Est and the West Gates be now the fairest.
1577. D. Settle, Frobisher’s Voy., title, A true reporte of the laste voyage into the West and Northwest regions. Ibid., B viij. On this West shoare we found a dead fishe floating.
1689. Acts Parlt. Scot. (1875), XII. 54/2. That two friggetts be gott to cruse on the west coasts.
1789. N. Portlock, Voy., 314. Should night come on, there is anchorage to the Northward of the West point of Morotoi, sheltered from the prevailing winds.
1801. M. Downie, Observ. Atmosphere, 89. Those parts of the West coasts of Africa, which lie between the Tropics.
1895. ‘P. Hemingway,’ Out of Egypt, II. 185. The west sky grew pale and gold.
b. Of western Europe, as opposed to the east; esp. belonging to the Roman or Latin church; = WESTERN 4. Now rare or Obs.
1553. Becon, Reliques of Rome (1563), 141 b. The Occidentall or weast Churches thorow out all Europe.
1565. Harding, Answ. Jewel’s Challenge, 86 b. Yet had they of that nation their Seruice then in Latine, as all the West churche had.
1577. Hanmer, Anc. Eccl. Hist., Socrates Schol., v. xxiv. 358. In the West empire there was one Eugenius, [etc.].
1594. Hooker, Eccl. Pol., IV. xi. § 12. The West Church vsing vnleauened bread, as the Iewes in their passouer did.
1628. Bp. Hall, Old Relig., xii. 116. The most eminent Diuines of both East and West Churches.
c. spec. † west isles, the western isles of Scotland; † west world, the new world, America.
1587. Harrison, Descr. Eng., I. x. 39/1, in Holinshed. The Iles that lie about the north coast of … Scotland … are either occidentals, the west Iles, [etc.].
1613. S. Daniel, 1st Pt. Hist. Eng., 5. As now, we see all the West world (lately discouered) to bee.
d. Of or pertaining to the west.
1572. Twyne, Dionysius’ Surv. World, B vj b. Two winds,… the Hesperian or Sicilian wynde, whiche is West, and the Southeaste, whiche bloweth from the sea Aegæum.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 549. All the West Allies of stormy Boreas blow.
1900. H. S. Holland, Old & New, 97. Whether East or West, we all with one consent excuse ourselves from our responsibilities.
2. With proper names: a. Denoting the western part of a country, district, etc., or the more westerly of two places having the same name.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, V. ii. 162. The lord of westwalis promysed to brynge xxx M men.
1530–1. Act 22 Hen. VIII., c. 17 § 10. In West Depyng or Est Depyng yn the countie of Lyncoln.
1645. Boate, Irel. Nat. Hist. (1652), 6. East-Meath and Catherlogh or Carlo … West-Meath, Kildare, Kilkenny, [etc.].
1646. R. Baillie, Lett. (Bannatyne Club), II. 388. The French are like this year to have very bad successe, both in Italie, Spaine, and West Flanders.
1714. in Jrnl. Friends Hist. Soc. (1918), 27. I … set forward through west and East Jarsey.
1794. Morse, Amer. Geog., 566. The principal town in West Florida is Pensacola.
1811. Willan (title), A List of Ancient Words at present used in the mountainous district of the West Riding of Yorkshire.
1886. Kington Oliphant, New Engl., I. 44. The term wench is used in the honourable sense of the West Midland.
b. Denoting the western division of a race, nation or people. Cf. WEST-SAXON.
1561. Daus, trans. Bullinger on Apoc., lxi. 430. The Westegothes possessed all Spayne.
187[?]. T. C. Luby, Life & Times O’Connell, 342/1. He [Thomas Spring Rice] was probably the first Irishman who nicknamed himself ‘a West Briton.’
1909. Jane Barlow, Irish Ways, 3. Not to believe in, at least, fairies, argues you a west-Briton, if nothing worse.
c. With sbs. and adjs. derived from the names of countries, districts or peoples.
1614. Selden, Titles Honor, 80. Kings of West-gothique bloud.
183[?]. Graves, Rom. Law, in Encycl. Met. (1845), II. 765/1. A manuscript of the Westgothic compilation, called the Breviarium Aniani.
1848. Gould, Birds Australia, I. Pl. 18. West-Australian Gos-Hawk.
1852. Henfrey, Veget. Eur., 169. Thus we get four sections of Germanic plants, viz.:… c. the west-Germanic.
1877. Cassell’s Nat. Hist., I. 363. The West African River Shrew.
3. Eccl. Situated in or at that part of a church (normally the actual west) that is farthest from the altar or high altar.
1412. Catterick Ch. Contract (1834), 9. The lenght of the body of the Kirke … with the thicknes of the west walle.
a. 1700. Evelyn, Diary, Aug. (end) 1641. There hang near the West window [of the church] two modells of shipps.
1773. Noorthouck, New Hist. London, 629. The west front [of St. Paul’s] is graced with a most magnificent portico.
1818. Rickman, Engl. Archit., 72. The west doors or York are of the richest execution. Ibid., 92. The west window of St. George’s, Windsor, has fifteen lights in three divisions.
1896. Hardy, Under Greenw. Tree, Pref. This story of the Mellstock choir and its old established west-gallery musicians … is intended to be a fairly true picture.
4. Facing to the west.
1593. T. Fale, Horolog., 7 b. The making of the East and West Erect Dials.
1638. S. Foster, Art of Dialling, 13. Those plaines are called East and West incliners, whose horizontall line lyeth full North and South, and their inclination is directly towards either East or West.
1642. Fuller, Holy & Prof. St., III. vii. 167. In a West-window in summer time towards night, the Sun grows low.
1832. Planting (Libr. Usef. Knowl.), 26. The soil of the nursery must be … under a south, east, or west exposure.
E. In combination: a. with vbl. sbs. and ppl. adjs. as † west-coming; west-facing, -going, † -walling adjs.
1592. in Maitl. Club Misc., I. 53. That thai report testimoniall heirintill agane thair first west cuming in this cuntrey.
1595. Markham, Trag. Sir R. Grinvile, xxxiv. The great west-walling boisterous sea.
1866. Good Words, 1 June, 390/1. During the first two days we passed upwards of a hundred west-going waggons.
1898. Contemp. Rev., Aug., 181. A long … west-facing gallery.
b. with advbs., as west-about, -away.
1579. in Reg. Mag. Sig. Scot. 1581, 73/1. Thairfra passand west about as the new stank braa lyis.
1891. Century Dict., West-about adv., around toward the west; in a westerly direction.
1818. Scott, Rob Roy, xxvii. Will onybody … grumble at the treaty that opened us a road west-awa’ yonder?
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! xxx. If you sailed right west away far enough, you’d surely come to the edge, and fall over cleve.
1875. Anderida, II. xi. 195. With laughter and song and favouring breeze three ships ran down the coast westaway, bearing the jolly Saxons to their fields.
c. With adjs., as west-central a., belonging to the western half of the central postal division of London.
1860. All Year Round, No. 66. 372. A small street off one of the west-central squares.
1865. ‘Annie Thomas,’ On Guard, II. 265. The show-room of the west-central Mantalini for whom she worked.
