nor'west

A ship sails on the nor'west wind toward the harbor.

Definition

1. Noun:

   • The direction or region of the northwest: "nor'west" is a shortened, colloquial form of "northwest," referring to the compass point between north and west, or the corresponding area.
   • A wind from the northwest: In nautical or regional contexts, "nor'west" can denote a wind blowing from that direction.

2. Adjective:

   • Situated in or coming from the northwest: Describes something located in or originating from the northwest.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • The ship sailed toward the nor'west. (The vessel moved in the northwest direction.)
  • A strong nor'west was blowing across the bay. (A wind from the northwest was gusting.)

• Adjective:

  • The nor'west coast is rugged and remote. (The northwestern coastline is rough and isolated.)
  • We built a shelter to block the nor'west wind. (We constructed a barrier against the wind from the northwest.)

Advanced Usage

• "to head nor'west": to travel in a northwest direction, often used in sailing or exploration narratives.

  • The explorers decided to head nor'west toward the mountains. (They chose to travel northwest.)

• "a nor'west gale": a strong wind from the northwest, typical in maritime contexts.

  • The nor'west gale forced the fishermen to stay in port. (The strong northwest wind kept them ashore.)

Variants and Related Words

• Nor'wester (n): a strong wind or storm from the northwest; also a person from the northwest region.

  • A fierce nor'wester swept across the plains. (A powerful northwest wind passed over the area.)

• Nor'westward (adv): toward the northwest.

  • The caravan moved nor'westward through the desert. (The group traveled northwest.)

Synonyms

• Northwest: the standard term for the direction or region.
• NW: an abbreviation for northwest.

Phrasal Verbs

• Nor'west around: to navigate or circle in a northwest direction (rare, mostly nautical).
  • The boat nor'west around the island. (The vessel sailed northwest around the landmass.)

Related Idioms

• Nor'west by west: a specific compass point (slightly west of northwest), used in navigation.
  • The captain adjusted course to nor'west by west. (He set the ship's heading to that precise direction.)