Definition of "west"

west

/wɛst/

noun
usually uncountable, plural wests
1. One of the four principal compass points, specifically 270°, conventionally directed to the left on maps; the direction of the setting sun at an equinox.
2. The western region or area; the inhabitants thereof.
3. (ecclesiastical) In a church: the direction of the gallery, opposite to the altar, and opposite to the direction faced by the priest when celebrating ad orientem.
  Quotations
  In two respects, however, the cathedral [of St. Mary's in Sydney, Australia] differs from English traditions: it is oriented north-south, not east-west; and its main entry is from the south (liturgical west) between the two towers, in the French manner.
  1997, John Haskell, John Callanan, Sydney Architecture, UNSW Press
  The seating for honored persons (clergy) is at the liturgical west, opposite the entrance and lectern.
  2000, Mark L. MacDonald, The Chant of Life: Liturgical Studies Four, Church Publishing, Inc., page 98
  In most worship spaces, this will put the thurifer and gospeller facing liturgical west, book bearer facing liturgical east (or the book on the reading desk), and the torch bearers turned inward, facing the book.
  2007, Patrick Malloy, Celebrating the Eucharist: A Practical Ceremonial Guide for Clergy and Other Liturgical Ministers, Church Publishing, Inc., page 155
  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.
  2014, Paul Porwoll, Against All Odds: History of Saint Andrew's Parish Church, Charleston, 1706-2013, WestBow Press, page 365
adjective
1. Situated or lying in or toward the west; westward.
2. (meteorology) Of wind: from the west.
3. Of or pertaining to the west; western.
4. From the West; occidental.
5. (ecclesiastial) Designating, or situated in, the liturgical west, that part of a church which is opposite to, and farthest from, the part containing the chancel.
  Quotations
  Interior in 1925, (left) looking north to chancel and (right) looking south (to liturgical west end) It was on account of this connection that St James's became the clowns 'church', an annual clowns' service being held there ...
  2008, Philip Temple, Northern Clerkenwell and Pentonville, Paul Mellon Ctr for Studies, page 356
  as in the mosaic of the ascension on San Frediano's liturgical west (geographically east) façade.
  2017, Stephen Kite, Building Ruskin's Italy: Watching Architecture, Routledge, page 48
  Spence had decided on a huge image of Christ on the [liturgical] east end [which is the geographic north], filling the entire wall and to be visible through the [liturgical] West Window (Fig. 24.2).
  2019, Sarah Hosking, "Coventry Cathedral", in Prickett Stephen Prickett, Edinburgh Companion to the Bible and the Arts, Edinburgh University Press, page 371
adverb
not comparable
1. Towards the west; westwards.
verb
third-person singular simple present wests, present participle westing, simple past and past participle wested
1. To move to the west; (of the sun) to set.
  Quotations
  Foure times his place he shifted hath in sight, / And twice has risen, where he now doth West, / And wested twice, where he ought rise aright.
  1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Prologue”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie

Definition of "west"

west

noun

Quotations

adjective

Quotations

adverb

verb

Quotations