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nor'wester

American  
[nawr-wes-ter] / ˌnɔrˈwɛs tər /

noun

  1. contraction of northwester.

  2. sou'wester.


nor'wester British  
/ ˌnɔːˈwɛstə /

noun

  1. a less common name for sou'wester

  2. a drink of strong liquor

  3. a strong northwest wind

  4. a hot dry wind from the Southern Alps

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of nor'wester

First recorded in 1695–1705; nor(th)wester

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.

The nor'wester -- a weather pattern that develops in the Bay of Bengal during the summer -- struck the states of Bihar and West Bengal on April 13, killing 137 people.

From Reuters • Apr. 22, 2010

"Now we shall have it!" said Hazard--"a true nor'wester, and butt-end foremost!"

From The Sea Lions The Lost Sealers by Cooper, James Fenimore

"You'll be all right soon; we have been getting the tail-end of a big nor'wester."

From Sandy by Rice, Alice Caldwell Hegan

They reach'd the grounds, but scarce had turn'd  Upon the homeward track, When came the wild nor'wester down  On their frail fishing smack.

From Canada and Other Poems by Young, T. F. (Thomas Frederick)

By daybreak, the next morning, I was at my post, a sharp nor'wester blowing, and a heavy sea rolling in from the Atlantic.

From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, Volume 2, No. 12, May, 1851. by Various