West \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.]
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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.
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And fresh from the west is the free wind's breath.
--Bryant.
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2. A country, or region of country, which, with regard to
some other country or region, is situated in the direction
toward the west.
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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.
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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.
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