south

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   in a southern direction

   we moved south

2. 2
   adj

   situated in or facing or moving toward or coming from the south

   the south entrance

3. 3
   noun

   The direction towards the pole to the right-hand side of someone facing east, specifically 180°, or (on another celestial object) the direction towards the pole lying on the southern side of the invariable plane.

   Germany is south of Denmark.

4. 4
   noun

   The southern region or area; the inhabitants thereof.

   Just before independence (in 1955) the military garrison in the south rebelled and that was the beginning of a civil war between the north and the south ...

5. 5
   noun

   In a church: the direction to the right-hand side of a person facing the altar.

   If candidates stand on the liturgical south facing the presider and liturgical assistants on the liturgical north, it will present better visual lines for the congregation than if they stand facing east and west with their backs toward the congregation.

6. 6
   adj

   Pertaining to the part of a corridor used by southbound traffic.

   south highway 1

7. 7
   adj

   Designating, or situated in, the liturgical south.

   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 north side faces the river (beyond the subdivision behind the church), and the south side, Ashley River Road.

8. 8
   adv

   In an adverse direction or trend.

   His fortunes have been going south ever since he was tricked into investing in that ostrich farm.

Etymology

From Middle English south, from Old English sūþ, from Proto-West Germanic *sunþr (“southern”), from Proto-Germanic *sunþrą (“south”), from Proto-Indo-European *sóh₂wl̥ (“sun”). Cognates Cognate with Scots sooth (“south”), Yola zouth (“south”), North Frisian sööd, Süđ, süüd (“south”), Saterland Frisian Sude, Suud (“south”), West Frisian súd (“south”), Dutch zuid (“south”), German Süd (“south”), Danish syd (“south”), Faroese, Icelandic suður (“south”), Norwegian Bokmål syd, sør (“south”), Norwegian Nynorsk sør (“south”), Swedish syd, söder (“south”); also with Irish súil (“eye”), Cornish howl (“…