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NORTHWARD
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I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The cardinal compass point that is at 0 or 360 degrees
Synonyms:
due north; N; north; northward
Classified under:
Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas
Hypernyms ("northward" is a kind of...):
cardinal compass point (one of the four main compass points)
II. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Moving toward the north
Example:
the northward flow of traffic
Synonyms:
northbound; northward
Classified under:
Similar:
north (situated in or facing or moving toward or coming from the north)
III. (adverb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
In a northern direction
Example:
Let's go north!
Synonyms:
north; northerly; northward; northwards
Classified under:
Context examples:
Brave winds, blowing fair, swiftly drove the Ghost northward into the seal herd.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
During the tectonically active Cretaceous Period, southern Africa lost Madagascar and Antarctica as they split off to the east and south, followed by the gradual northward unzipping of South America.
(Paleontologists discover new species of sauropod dinosaur in Tanzania, National Science Foundation)
Warming winter temperatures led to rapid environmental changes that allowed the northward expansion of Neolithic farmers toward mainland Europe, and the rapid population of the continent.
(Ice cave in Transylvania yields window into region's past, NSF)
The gard'ner wot didn't remember said he was a-gallopin' northward faster than a horse could go; but I don't believe him, for, yer see, sir, wolves don't gallop no more nor dogs does, they not bein' built that way.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
Instead of subsiding as night drew on, it seemed to augment its rush and deepen its roar: the trees blew steadfastly one way, never writhing round, and scarcely tossing back their boughs once in an hour; so continuous was the strain bending their branchy heads northward—the clouds drifted from pole to pole, fast following, mass on mass: no glimpse of blue sky had been visible that July day.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
We landed at a small port-town called Xamoschi, situated on the south-east part of Japan; the town lies on the western point, where there is a narrow strait leading northward into along arm of the sea, upon the north-west part of which, Yedo, the metropolis, stands.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
He always arrived back lean and hungry and savage, and always departed fresh and vigorous, cleaving his way northward in response to some prompting of his being that no one could understand.
(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)
I remembered what Silver had said about the current that sets northward along the whole west coast of Treasure Island, and seeing from my position that I was already under its influence, I preferred to leave Haulbowline Head behind me and reserve my strength for an attempt to land upon the kindlier-looking Cape of the Woods.
(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)
Having thus prepared all things as well as I was able, I set sail on the twenty-fourth day of September 1701, at six in the morning; and when I had gone about four-leagues to the northward, the wind being at south-east, at six in the evening I descried a small island, about half a league to the north-west.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
We then set sail, and had a good voyage till we passed the Straits of Madagascar; but having got northward of that island, and to about five degrees south latitude, the winds, which in those seas are observed to blow a constant equal gale between the north and west, from the beginning of December to the beginning of May, on the 19th of April began to blow with much greater violence, and more westerly than usual, continuing so for twenty days together: during which time, we were driven a little to the east of the Molucca Islands, and about three degrees northward of the line, as our captain found by an observation he took the 2nd of May, at which time the wind ceased, and it was a perfect calm, whereat I was not a little rejoiced.
(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)
