Search the Dictionary

observation or reckoning; proceeding toward the west, or coming from the west; as, a west course is one toward the west; an east and west line; a west wind blows from the west. This shall be your west border. Num. xxxiv. 6. West end, the fashionable part of London, commencing from the east, at Charing Cross.…

Moving toward the west; as, a ship makes a western course; coming from the west; as, a western breeze. Western Church. See Latin Church, under Latin. -- Western empire (Hist.), the western portion of the Roman empire, as divided, by the will of Theodosius the Great, between his sons Honorius and Arcadius, a. d. 395.…

reckoned toward the west, between the two meridians passing through the extremities of a course, or portion of a ship's path; the departure of a course which lies to the west of north.

Toward the west; as, to ride or sail westward. Westward the course of empire takes its way. Berkeley.

glory, shone, and rolled Her motions, as the great first mover's hand First wheeled their course. Milton.

To change from one opinion or course to another; to use evasions; to prevaricate; to be fickle. A person of whiffing and unsteady turn of mind can not keep close to a point of controversy. I. Watts.

One who whiffles, or frequently changes his opinion or course; one who uses shifts and evasions in argument; hence, a trifler. Every whiffler in a laced coat who frequents the chocolate house shall talk of the constitution. Swift.

what direction; toward what or which place. R. of Brunne. Whitherward to turn for a good course of life was by no means too apparent. Carlyle.

A narrow port or passage in the rink or course, flanked by the stones of previous players.

us shall Canaan win." Milton. Thy well-breathed horse Impels the flying car, and wins the course. Dryden.

er tyrannical. Shak. Little arts and dexterities they have to wind in such things into discourse. Gov. of Tongue.

A winding and circuitous way; a roundabout course; a shift.

Caused to ride or drive by the wind in opposition to the course of the tide; -- said of a vessel lying at anchor, with wind and tide opposed to each other. Totten.

al; hyemal; cold; stormy; wintery. Touch our chilled hearts with vernal smile, Our wintry course do thou beguile. Keble.

out of; not within; as, without doors. Without the gate Some drive the cars, and some the coursers rein. Dryden.

Individual experience of, or concern with, life; course of life; sum of the affairs which affect the individual; as, to begin the world with no property; to lose all, and begin the world anew.

To steer wild, or out of the line of her course; to deviate from her course, as when struck by a heavy sea; -- said of a ship. Just as he would lay the ship's course, all yawing being out of the question. Lowell.

Having short, sharp turns; running this way and that in an onward course.

aracteristic of a transitory stage through which rapidly multiplying bacteria pass in the course of their evolution. Also used adjectively.