east

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   to, toward, or in the east

   we travelled east for several miles

2. 2
   noun

   The direction of the earth's rotation, specifically 90°.

   Portsmouth is to the east of Southampton.

3. 3
   noun

   The eastern region or area; the inhabitants thereof.

   We, in the west, agreed amongst ourselves that a penitentiary should be erected with our half of the money arising as above stated; and the east agreed to improve the country in their vicinity with the other half.

4. 4
   noun

   In a church: the direction of the altar and chancel; the direction faced by the priest when celebrating ad orientem.

   A few [Anglican churches in South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland] are oriented other than due [geographic] east—St. Paul's, St. George's, and Prince George's parish churches face northeast and St. Andrew's, southeast. […] Throughout the book I refer directionally to the altar and chancel of St. Andrew's as situated at ecclesiastical east (to avoid overcomplicating matters), not geographical or magnetic southeast. Thus, the altar is located at the east end of the church, and the gallery, at the west.

5. 5
   adj

   Designating, or situated in, the liturgical east.

   the east front of a cathedral

6. 6
   name

   Any of various particular regions named for the cardinal direction in which they lie.

   […] I sat down and wrote, / In such a hand as when a field of corn / Bows all its ears before the roaring East; […]

7. 7
   name

   A personification of the wind from the east.

   Near-synonyms: easter, levanter

8. 8
   adj

   situated in or facing or moving toward the east

Etymology

From Middle English est, from Old English ēast, from Proto-West Germanic *austr, from Proto-Germanic *austrą, from Proto-Germanic *austraz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwsteros (“east”). Cognates Cognate with Scots aist (“east”), North Frisian uast, ååst, ööst (“east”), Saterland Frisian Aaste (“east”), West Frisian east (“east”), Dutch oost (“east”), German Ost (“east”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål øst (“east”), Faroese eystur (“east”), Icelandic austur (“east”), Norwegian Nynorsk aust, øst (“east”), Swedish ost, öst, öster (“east”); also with Avestan 𐬎𐬱𐬀𐬯𐬙𐬀𐬭𐬀 (ušastara, “eastern”), Latin auster…