▪ I. westerly, a. and n.
(ˈwɛstəlɪ)
[f. west adv. Cf. easterly, etc., and next.]
A. adj.
1. Coming from the west.
| 1577 Googe Heresbach's Husb. i. 20 What time so euer it be doone, you must looke that the winde be Westerly. 1608 Shakes. Per. iv. i. 51 Is this wind Westerlie that blowes? 1690 in Foster Eng. Factories Ind. (1906) 221 A fine gentle westerlie sea winde blowing. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. iii. 140 The westerly winds..are almost perpetual in that part. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. x. II. 641 She..had been detained in Holland..by strong westerly winds. 1855 Kingsley Westw. Ho! xxxii, They got on a lee shore in Cardigan Bay, before a heavy westerly gale. 1886 Stevenson Kidnapped xiii, She tore through the seas at a great rate, pitching and straining, and pursued by the westerly swell. |
| Comb. 1868 Joynson Metals 116 Even the weather has to be consulted,—a westerly-wind day is the best. |
2. Situated in or towards the west.
| 1577 Harrison England ii. i. 49 b/1 in Holinshed, Two waters..whereof the westerly called Basingwater, commeth from Basingstoke. 1584 R. Norman tr. Safegard of Sailers 10 The most westerly houses of Wieringhen. a 1609 Sir F. Vere Comm. (1657) 51 Flores and Corvo, the westerliest Islands of the Azores. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 677 But the more Westerly part is not so fruitfull. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. iv. iii. 147 This Table..sheweth how much a Ship is more..Easterly or Westerly, by sailing upon any Point..of the Compass. 1765 R. Rogers Concise Acc. N. Amer. title-p., The Interior, or Westerly Parts of the Country, upon the Rivers St. Laurence, the Mississippi, [etc.]. 1825 J. Neal Bro. Jonathan III. 381 All the water on the westerly side of the town, was of a clear wine colour. 1870 Daily News 1 Feb., The eight twelve-pounders moved forward from one of the more westerly batteries. |
b. Of a person: Dwelling in the west.
| 1865 W. G. Palgrave Arabia II. xiv. 241 Nor are more westerly historians always exempt from similar weaknesses. |
3. Situated near the western horizon.
| 1801 Southey Thalaba vi. v, Nor stay'd he till over the westerly heaven The shadows of evening had spread. 1829 Scott Anne of G. xxx, The distant landscape, partly illumined, with ominous lustre, by the now westerly sun. |
4. Extending towards the west; facing the west. Of motion, progress, etc.: Directed towards the west or the western horizon.
| 1637 R. Norwood Sea-mans Pract. ix. (1655) 115 Then shall you have..the Latitudes and Longitudes of all Places as you saile, which may more easily and exactly be exprest upon this Chart, then the Easterly or Westerly distances. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. iv. iii. 153 The Westerly [distance] is 1695/100 Leagues. 1802 C. Findlater Agric. Peebles 18 The hills..of a southerly or westerly exposure, are generally more verdant. 1843 Prescott Mexico (1850) I. 336 Where the vapours from the ocean, touching in their westerly progress, maintain a rich verdure throughout the year. 1878 Newcomb Pop. Astron. i. ii. 58 The westerly motion of the latter [planet]. 1897 M. Kingsley W. Africa 362 This..leads from Ntamo to the Atlantic in a nearly due westerly direction. |
B. n. pl. The prevailing westerly winds found in certain latitudes.
| 1876 Spry Cruise of ‘Challenger’ 109 The strong westerlies caused the weather to be of such a boisterous character. 1897 F. T. Bullen Cruise of ‘Cachalot’ 86 The dirty weather and variable squalls, which nearly always precede the ‘westerlies’. 1898 Jrnl. Sch. Geog. (U.S.) Oct. 303 The beginning of the régime of the prevailing westerlies came at about latitude 40° S. |
▪ II. westerly, adv.
(ˈwɛstəlɪ)
[f. as prec. Cf. ON. vestarliga.]
1. In a westward direction; towards the west.
| 1625 Hynmers tr. Blaeu's Sea-Mirr. iii. 3 You must goe first southwest or somwhat westerly to the Helder. 1669 Sturmy Mariner's Mag. iv. iii. 154 S.W.b.W. ½ Westerly 190 Leagues. 1680 J. Collins Plea Irish Cattell etc. 7 Our Ships..Westerly or Southerly bound, Victual here. 1722 De Foe Col. Jack viii, We began to steer away westerly. 1771 Cook's 1st Voy. 26 A small white cloud..from which a train of fire issued, extending itself westerly. 1795 Vancouver Agric. Essex 87 Crossing the great road, and proceeding thence westerly through Shenfield. 1835 W. Irving Tour Prairies 70 Our plan was..to keep westerly, until we should pass through.. the Cross Timber. 1863 Daily Tel. 6 Apr., The principal channel..running in a straight line with the opening between the heads, westerly, out to sea. 1891 Clark Russell Marriage at Sea ii, We're going to get a breeze..; nothing to harm..if it don't draw westerly. |
2. (Blowing) from the west.
| 1708 Lond. Gaz. No. 4443/3 The Wind blowing fresh Westerly, oblig'd 'em to anchor. 1748 Anson's Voy. ii. vii. 214 We found the wind to hang westerly. 1816 Tuckey Narr. Exped. R. Zaire ii. (1818) 51 The winds now came more westerly. |