westward

comparative more westward · superlative most westward

1. Lying toward the west.

   […] yond same star that’s westward from the pole

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]

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   […] about a quarter of an hour before the time of sunset the westward clouds parted […]

   1895, Thomas Hardy, Jude the Obscure, Part 1, Chapter 3

   It stands high up on the westward slopes of the Alpilles […]

   1974, Lawrence Durrell, “Outremer”, in Monsieur, New York: Pocket Books, published 1976, page 43

2. Moving or oriented toward the west.

   They moved out on the westward road again.

   1942, Neville Shute, chapter 5, in Pied Piper, New York: William Morrow

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   1783, Edward Gibbon, The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, London: W. Strahan & T. Cadell, Volume 3, Chapter 17, p. 8, Those who steer their westward course through the middle of the Propontis, may at once descry the high lands of Thrace and Bithynia, and never lose sight of the lofty summit of Mount Olympus, covered with eternal snows.

   Oh! ye wild black swans, ’twere a world of wonder For a while to join in your westward flight,

   1896, A. B. Paterson, “Black Swans”, in The Man From Snowy River and Other Verses, London: Macmillan, page 113

comparative more westward · superlative most westward

1. Toward the west.

   ride westward.

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   Looke here my boies, see what a world of ground, Lies westward from the midst of Cancers line, Vnto the rising of this earthly globe,

   1590, Christopher Marlowe, Tamburlaine the Great, London, act V, scene 6

   Westward the course of empire takes its way;

   c. 1728, George Berkeley, “Verses, on the Prospect of Planting Arts and Learning in America”, in The Works of George Berkeley, D.D., London: Thomas Tegg, published 1837, page 394

   1857, John Henry Hopkins Jr., “We Three Kings” (Christmas carol), O star of wonder, star of night, Star with royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light.

1. uncountableThe western region or countries; the west.

   You will live quietly there till I come back from my next cruise to the westward.

   1896, Joseph Conrad, chapter IV, in An Outcast of the Islands, London: T. Fisher Unwin […], →OCLC, part I, page 46

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   I name this to explain what I said before, of Ships being embay’d and lost here: this is when, coming from the Westward, they omit to keep a good Offing, or are taken short by contrary Winds […]

   1742, Daniel Defoe, A Tour thro’ the Whole Island of Great Britain, London: J. Osborn, et al, Volume 1, Letter 6, pp. 297-298

1. A civil parish and small village in Cumberland district, Cumbria, England, previously in Allerdale borough (OS grid ref NY2744).