north

views updated May 29 2018

north / nôr[unvoicedth]/ • n. (usu. the north) 1. the direction in which a compass needle normally points, toward the horizon on the left side of a person facing east, or the part of the horizon lying in this direction: a bitter wind blew from the north | Mount Kenya is to the north of Nairobi. ∎  the compass point corresponding to this. ∎  a direction in space parallel to the earth's axis of rotation and toward the point on the celestial sphere around which the stars appear to turn counterclockwise. 2. the northern part of the world or of a specified country, region, or town: cuisine from the north of Spain | limber pine in the central Rockies, and whitebark pine and alpine larch in the north. ∎  (usu. the North) the northern part of the U.S., esp. the northeastern states that fought to preserve the Union during the Civil War: delegates from Virginia voted to join the North. 3. (North) Bridge the player occupying a designated position at the table, sitting opposite and partnering South.• adj. 1. lying toward, near, or facing the north: the north bank of the river | the north door. ∎  (of a wind) blowing from the north. 2. of or denoting the northern part of a specified area, city, or country or its inhabitants: North African.• adv. to or toward the north: the landscape became more dramatic as we drove north | a north-facing wall.PHRASES: north by east (or west) between north and north-northeast (or north-northwest).up north inf. to or in the north of a country: he's taken a teaching job up north.

north

views updated May 17 2018

north the direction in which a compass needle normally points, towards the horizon on the left-hand side of a person facing east, or the part of the horizon lying in this direction.

In 19th-century America, the North was used for those northern states of the United States which were opposed to slavery in the Civil War, and which fought on the side of the Union. In current usage, the North often designates the industrialized and economically advanced nations of the world.
North-East Passage a passage for ships along the northern coast of Europe and Asia, from the Atlantic to the Pacific via the Arctic Ocean, sought for many years as a possible trade route to the East. It was first navigated in 1878–9 by the Swedish Arctic explorer Baron Nordenskjöld (1832–1901).
North Star the Pole Star; the North Star State is an informal name for Minnesota.
North-West Passage a sea passage along the northern coast of the American continent, through the Canadian Arctic from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It was (like the North-East Passage) sought for many years as a possible trade route; it was first navigated in 1903–6 by Roald Amundsen.
north wind doth blow, we shall have snow traditional weather rhyme, deriving from a nursery rhyme of the early 19th century.

See also Angel of the North at angel, Athens of the North, Cock of the North at cock, magnetic north, North Pole at pole2.

North

views updated Jun 11 2018

North ★★½ 1994 (PG)

Some laughs with a message in family fare from Reiner. Eleven-year-old ace kid actor Wood divorces his workaholic parents Alexander and Louis-Dreyfus and searches the world for a functional family (good luck). Willis, who's a treat in a pink bunny suit, acts as guardian angel/narrator and shows the kid what's really important. Illustrious comedic cast inhabits story based on a book by original “Saturday Night Live” screenwriter (and “Gary Shandling Show” co-creator) Zweibel, who put things in motion ten years ago when he asked Reiner to write a book jacket quote for the novel. 87m/C VHS . Elijah Wood, Jason Alexander, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bruce Willis, Jon Lovitz, Alan Arkin, Dan Aykroyd, Kathy Bates, Faith Ford, Graham Greene, Reba McEntire, John Ritter, Abe Vigoda, Kelly McGillis, Alexander Godunov, Noriyuki “Pat” Morita, Ben Stein; D: Rob Reiner; W: Andrew Scheinman, Alan Zweibel; M: Marc Shaiman.

North

views updated May 14 2018

North

Often the term "North" refers to the countries located in the northern hemisphere of the globe. Scholars who are concerned with worldwide problems such as global climate change, sometimes tend to think of the planet as consisting of two halves, the North and the South. The North, or northern hemisphere, is a region where only about one-fifth of the Earth's population lives, but where four-fifths of its goods and services are consumed. Environmental issues of interest to the North are those related to high technology, high consumption, and high energy use. These are areas are of relatively less concern to those who live in the South. Although the North/South dichotomy may be simplistic, it highlights differences in the way peoples of various nation view global environmental problems.

north

views updated May 09 2018

north OE. norð = OS. norð (Du. noord), (O)HG. nord, ON. norðr; Gmc., of unkn. orig.
So northerly XVI, northern OE. (hence northerner XIX), northing (-ING1) XVII, northward XII, northwards OE.

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