quasi-sb. in phr., a. and adv. Also 6 Sc. wyndwart, vynduart, 7 winward, 9 win’ard. [f. WIND sb.1 + -WARD. (In all senses the opposite of LEEWARD.)]
A. Phr. to (the) windward (also formerly with other preps.): to the windward side or direction.
1549. Compl. Scot., vi. 42. The said galiasse in schort tyme cam on vynduart of the tothir schip.
1562. Winȝet, Cert. Tractatis, i. Wks. (S.T.S.), I. 4. To lat down ane grete dele thair hie sailis, and hald to wyndwart.
1626. Capt. J. Smith, Accid. Yng. Seamen, 18. A sayle, how stands she, to windward or leyward.
1666. Monk, Lett. (in Quaritch’s Rough List, No. 202 (1900) Oct.). Sir William Berkeley kept his course, at which a gun was fired at winward of him.
1687. A. Lovell, trans. Thevenot’s Trav., I. 281. About Noon he was got to the Windward.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, II. (Globe), 329. The Sound coming from the Windward.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Charmed Sea, iv. 53. The heavens were grey, and there was a very dark line to windward.
1876. Miss Braddon, J. Haggard’s Dau., i. 27. Before Joshua could reach him, the first of those giant masses of water struck on the rock to windward of him.
b. In fig. phrases, such as to get to windward of, to gain an advantage over (cf. WIND sb.1 3 b); to keep to windward of, to keep out of the reach of (cf. WINDY 2 d); to cast an anchor to windward, to adopt measures for security.
1783. Cowper, Lett. to J. Newton, 7 March. That my vanity may not get too much to windward.
1882. De Windt, Equator, 12. His intention of ‘getting to windward of those “Maylays.”’
1888. Rider Haggard, Mr. Meeson’s Will, vi. If I happen to have got to windward of the young woman, why, so much the better for me.
1890. [see LEEWARDLY].
1919. Frederick J. Bliss, in 19th Cent., Dec., 1152. This policy was based on a desire to keep an anchor to the windward, to secure the United States for a friend.
B. adj.
1. Having a direction towards, i.e., opposite to that of, the wind; moving against the wind.
1627. Capt. J. Smith, Sea Gram., x. 47. You say … a windward Tide when the Tide runnes against the wind.
1739. (title) A Description of the Windward Passage and Gulf of Florida.
c. 1850. Rudim. Navig., 56. Windward Great Circle Sailing.
b. Of or in reference to a sailing vessel, expressing ability to sail close to the wind: = WEATHERLY 2.
1895. Outing (U.S.), XXVI. 382/1. She is so slender and graceful that one is prone to wonder that such prettiness is consistent with windward power.
1901. Daily Chron., 27 Sept., 5/7. A better windward boat than the Columbia.
2. Situated towards the direction from which the wind blows; facing the wind.
a. 1687. [see LEEWARD A. 2].
1725. De Foe, Engl. Tradesman, iii. (1732), I. 21. His windward leg being hurt by a bruise.
1731. Miller, Gard. Dict., s.v. Blight, On the Wind-ward Side of the Trees.
1783. Justamond, trans. Raynal’s Hist. Indies, V. 5. Those that lie nearest the East, have been called the Windward Islands; the others the Leeward, on account of the wind’s blowing generally from the eastern point in those quarters.
1858. Froude, Hist. Eng., IV. xxii. 424. The vessel laying slightly over, the windward tier slipped across the deck.
C. adv. Towards the wind, to windward.
1690. in 14th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. IV. 243. The fleet that came from Plymouth … were plying windward of that place.
1700. Tyrrell, Hist. Eng., II. 833. Tacking about, and so getting Windward of them, they … gain’d a great Advantage.
Hence Windwardly a. = B. 1 b, 2; Windwardmost a., furthest to windward; Windwardness, ‘windward’ or weatherly quality.
1657. R. Ligon, Barbadoes (1673), 23. The most *windwardly Island of all the Caribbies.
a. 1734. North, Lives (1826), II. 92. The characters of the several vessels,… some windwardly, some not stay well, some slugs.
1902. Edin. Rev., Oct., 422. The island [Barbados] is the most windwardly of the whole Caribbean Archipelago.
a. 1625. Manwayring, Sea-mans Dict. (1644), s.v. Weather Bow, Any thing that is to the *wind-ward-most-side, we say, it is the weather-part, or a-weather.
1774. Summary Acc. Tobago 78. Care must be taken of the sunken rock that lies about a mile from the windwardmost point of Minister-Bay.
a. 1618. Raleigh, Invention of Shipping (1650), 29. By reason of their ready staying and turning, by reason of their *windwardnesse.
