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Webster 1913 Edition


East

East

(ēst)
,
Noun.
[OE.
est
,
east
, AS.
eást
; akin to D.
oost
,
oosten
, OHG.
ōstan
, G.
ost
,
osten
, Icel.
austr
, Sw.
ost
, Dan.
öst
,
östen
, Lith.
auszra
dawn, L.
aurora
(for
ausosa
), Gr.
ἠώς
,
ἕος
,
ἄυως
, Skr.
ushas
; cf. Skr.
ush
to burn, L.
urere
. √149, 288. Cf.
Aurora
,
Easter
,
Sterling
.]
1.
The point in the heavens where the sun is seen to rise 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 which is toward the right hand of one who faces the north; the point directly opposite to the west.
The
east
began kindle.
E. Everett.
2.
The eastern parts of the earth; the regions or countries which lie east of Europe; the orient. In this indefinite sense, the word is applied to Asia Minor, Syria, Chaldea, Persia, India, China, etc.;
as, the riches of the
East
; the diamonds and pearls of the
East
; the kings of the
East
.
The gorgeous
East
, with richest hand,
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold.
Milton.
3.
(U. S. Hist. and Geog.)
Formerly, the part of the United States east of the Alleghany Mountains, esp. the Eastern, or New England, States; now, commonly, the whole region east of the Mississippi River, esp. that which is north of Maryland and the Ohio River; – usually with the definite article;
as, the commerce of the
East
is not independent of the agriculture of the West
.
East by north
,
East by south
,
according to the notation of the mariner’s compass, that point which lies 11¼° to the north or south, respectively, of the point due east.
East-northeast
,
East-southeast
,
that which lies 22½° to the north or south of east, or half way between east and northeast or southeast, respectively. See Illust. of
Compass
.

East

,
Adj.
1.
Toward the rising sun; or toward the point where the sun rises when in the equinoctial;
as, the
east
gate; the
east
border; the
east
side; the
east
wind is a wind that blows from the east.

East

,
adv.
Eastward.

East

,
Verb.
I.
To move toward the east; to veer from the north or south toward the east; to orientate.

Webster 1828 Edition


East

EAST

,
Noun.
[L. oriens, this word may belong to the root of hoise,hoist.]
1.
The point in the heavens, where the sun is seen to rise at the equinox, or when it is in the equinoctial, or the corresponding point on the earth; one of the four cardinal points. The east and the west are the points where the equator intersects the horizon. But to persons under the equinoctial line, that line constitutes east and west.
2.
The eastern parts of the earth; the regions or countries which lie east of Europe, or other country. In this indefinite sense, the word is applied to Asia Minor, Syria, Chaldea, Persia, India, China, &c. We speak of the riches of the east, the diamonds and pearls of the east, the kings of the east.
The gorgeous east, with richest hand,
Pours on her kings barbaric,pearl and gold.

EAST

,
Adj.
Towards the rising sun; or towards the point where the sun rises, when in the equinoctial; as the east gate; the east border; the east side. The east wind is a wind that blows from the east.

Definition 2024


East

East

See also: east

English

Proper noun

East

  1. (personification) The wind from the east.
    • 1847: Alfred Lord Tennyson, The Princess
      and I sat down and wrote, In such a hand as when a field of corn Bows all its ears before the roaring East
    • 1859: Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
      uneasy rushes of wind went through the hall [...] East, West, North, and South, through the woods, four heavy-treading, unkempt figures crushed the high grass and cracked the branches
  2. The Eastern world; the regions, primarily situated in the Eastern Hemisphere, whose culture is derived from India or China.
    • 1868: Wilkie Collins, The Moonstone
      I remember a hearty welcome; a prodigious supper, which would have fed a whole village in the East
  3. The Eastern Bloc; the eastern countries of Europe.
  4. (historical) the Soviet Union and its socialist allies during the Cold War.
  5. The eastern states of the United States.
  6. The eastern part of any region.
  7. A surname.

Derived terms

Translations

External links

Anagrams

east

east

See also: East

English

Noun

east (countable and uncountable, plural easts)

  1. One of the four principal compass points, specifically 90°, conventionally directed to the right on maps; the direction of the rising sun at an equinox. Abbreviated as E.
    • 1895, Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure In a few hours the birds come to it from all points of the compass east, west, north, and south...

Coordinate terms

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

east (not comparable)

  1. Situated or lying in or towards the east; eastward.
  2. (meteorology) wind from the east
  3. Of or pertaining to the east; eastern.
  4. From the East; oriental.
  5. (ecclesiastical) Designating, or situated in, that part of a church which contains the choir or chancel.
    the east front of a cathedral

Synonyms

  • (situated or lying in or towards the east): eastward
  • (meteorology: wind from the east): easterly
  • (of or pertaining to the east): eastern
  • (from the East): oriental

Antonyms

  • (situated or lying in or towards the east): westward
  • (meteorology: wind from the east): westerly
  • (of or pertaining to the east): western

Translations

Adverb

east (not comparable)

  1. towards the east; eastwards

Synonyms

Antonyms

Translations

Anagrams


Old English

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *austrą, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ews- (eastern). Cognate with Old Frisian āst, Old Saxon ost, Dutch oost, Old High German ōst, German Osten, Old Norse austr. The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin auster (southerly) and aurora (dawn), Latvian austrumi (easterly), Albanian ag (dawn, early morning; black mark round the eyes), Proto-Slavic *(j)utro.

Pronunciation

Noun

ēast m

  1. the east

Declension

Descendants

Adjective

ēast

  1. eastern, easterly

Declension

Adverb

ēast

  1. from the east
  2. towards the east

West Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian āst, from Proto-Germanic *austrą. Compare English east, Dutch oost, German Ost, Norwegian aust.

Noun

east ?

  1. east

Adjective

east

  1. east, eastern, easterly