east
1 Americannoun
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a cardinal point of the compass, 90° to the right of north. E
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the direction in which this point lies.
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(usually initial capital letter) a quarter or territory situated in this direction.
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the East,
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the parts of Asia collectively lying east of Europe and including Asia Minor, Syria, Arabia, India, China, etc.
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East Asia.
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(formerly) the Soviet Union and its allies.
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the part of the U.S. east of the Mississippi River.
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the part of the U.S. east of the Allegheny Mountains.
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New England.
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Ancient and Medieval History. the Eastern Roman Empire.
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adjective
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directed or proceeding toward the east.
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coming from the east.
an east wind.
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lying toward or situated in the east.
the east side.
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Ecclesiastical. being at the end of the church where the high altar is.
an east window.
adverb
abbreviation
noun
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the continent of Asia regarded as culturally distinct from Europe and the West; the Orient
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the countries under Communist rule and formerly under Communist rule, lying mainly in the E hemisphere Compare West
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the area north of the Ohio and east of the Mississippi
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the area north of Maryland and east of the Alleghenies
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adjective
noun
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one of the four cardinal points of the compass, 90° clockwise from north and 180° from west
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the direction along a parallel towards the sunrise, at 90° to north; the direction of the earth's rotation
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(often capital) any area lying in or towards the east
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cards (usually capital) the player or position at the table corresponding to east on the compass
adjective
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situated in, moving towards, or facing the east
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(esp of the wind) from the east
adverb
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in, to, or towards the east
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archaic (of the wind) from the east
Other Word Forms
- Eastern adjective
- eastness noun
Etymology
Origin of east
First recorded before 900; Middle English est, Old English ēast; cognate with German ost, Old Norse austr; akin to Latin aurōra, Greek aúōs (Aeolic dialect variant of ēṓs, héōs ) “dawn”; Easter
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If the weather patterns bring wind from the north or east, we tap into that cold Arctic air and could see a spell of wintry weather.
From BBC
We started on the West Coast, have been moving east and then there’s opportunity to continue to move into the Midwest and the Northeast.
The proud east Londoner first dabbled in DIY when he swapped the hustle and bustle of the capital for the peace and quiet of Ipswich, which he and his family now call home.
From BBC
Relocation agencies say their new clients include Midwestern small-business owners—architects, financial advisers and engineers—saving on healthcare costs by living seven time zones east of their clients.
Look to the east in the early evening sky.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
