east

east [ēst]

n.

[ME est < OE east, akin to Ger osten, ON austr < Gmc base * aust-, dawn < IE base * awes-, to shine, dawn > L aurora, dawn, aurum, gold]

1. the direction to the right of a person facing north; direction in which sunrise occurs: it is properly the point on the horizon at which the center of the sun rises at the equinox

2. the point on a compass at 90°, directly opposite west

3. a region or district in or toward this direction

adj.

1. in, of, to, toward, or facing the east

2. from the east [an east wind]

3. [E-] designating the eastern part of a continent, country, etc. [East Africa]

4. in, of, or toward the altar of a church

adv.

in or toward the east; in an easterly direction

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the East

☆ 1. the eastern part of the U.S.; specif.,

a) the part east of the Allegheny Mountains, from Me. through Md.

b) the part east of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio

2. the Eastern Hemisphere; specif., Asia and the nearby islands