North

North, north, n. the point opposite the sun at noon: one of the four cardinal points of the horizon: the side of a church to the left of one facing the principal altar: that portion of the United States north of the former slave-holding states—i.e. north of Maryland, the Ohio, and Missouri.—adv. to or in the north.—ns. North′-cock, the snow bunting; North′-east, the point between the north and east, equidistant from each.—adj. belonging to or from the north-east.—n. North′-east′er, a wind from the north-east.—adjs. North′-east′erly, toward or coming from the north-east; North′-east′ern, belonging to the north-east: being in the north-east, or in that direction.—adv. North′-east′ward, toward the north-east.—ns. North′er (th), a wind or gale from the north, esp. applied to a cold wind that blows in winter over Texas and the Gulf of Mexico; North′erliness (th), state of being toward the north.—adj. North′erly (th), being toward the north: coming from the north.—adv. toward or from the north.—adj. North′ern (th), pertaining to the north: being in the north or in the direction toward it: proceeding from the north.—n. an inhabitant of the north.—n. North′erner (th), a native of, or resident in, the north, esp. of the northern United States.—adjs. North′ernmost (th), North′most, situate at the point farthest north.—ns. North′ing, motion, distance, or tendency northward: distance of a heavenly body from the equator northward: difference of latitude made by a ship in sailing northward: deviation towards the north; North′man, one of the ancient Scandinavians; North′-pole, the point in the heavens, or beneath it on the earth's surface, ninety degrees north of the equator; North′-star, the north polar star; Northum′brian, a native of the modern Northumberland, or of the ancient kingdom of Northumbria, stretching from the Humber to the Forth: that variety of English spoken in Northumbria before the Conquest—also adj.—adjs. North′ward, North′wardly, being toward the north.—adv. toward the north—also North′wards.—n. North′-west, the point between the north and west, equidistant from each.—adj. pertaining to or from the north-west.—adjs. North′-west′erly, toward or coming from the north-west; North′-west′ern, belonging to the north-west: pertaining to, or being in, the north-west or in that direction.—North water, the space of open sea left by the winter pack of ice moving southward.—North-east Passage, a passage for ships along the north coasts of Europe and Asia to the Pacific, first made by Nordenskiöld in 1878-79; Northern lights, the aurora borealis (q.v.); North-west Passage, a sea-way for ships from the Atlantic into the Pacific along the northern coast of America, first made by Sir Robert M‘Clure, 1850-54. [A.S. north; cf. Ger. nord.]