west-north-west, adv. etc.
[See west adv. and north-west. Cf. MLG. westnortwest, Du. -noord-, G. -nord-.]
In or from the direction situated midway between west and north-west. Also as n. and adj.
| 14.. Sailing Directions (Hakl. Soc., 1889) 11 The Ilonde and Berwik haven lien west north west and Est South est. Ibid. 18 The streemys of Briggewatir sit west norwest. c 1490 Botoner Itin. (1778) 287 Anglice west-north-west versus Seynt Davyes. a 1550 Leland Itin. (1764) III. 30 The secund [creke] lyith West North West. 1555 Eden Decades (Arb.) 70 Proceading..at the lengthe towarde the weste northe weste. 1625 Hynmers tr. W. Blaeu's Sea Mirr. ii. 112 When that Lagernesse is westnorthwest from you, then goe on southeast. 1685 T. Phelps Acc. Captivity 22 Our course by the North-Star was West-North-West. 1715 Lond. Gaz. No. 5360/5 With little Wind at West North West. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 111 The land lying away from the west-north-west to the south-east-by-south. 1855 Kingsley Westw. Ho! xxxi, A strong west-north-west breeze. 1883 R. H. Scott Elem. Meteorol. 359 The wind flies round to West, or West-north-west. |
Hence west-north-westerly a.
| 1895 Westm. Gaz. 7 Oct. 5/2 She met with a tremendous west-north-westerly gale. |