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northwest by west

American  

noun

Navigation, Surveying.
  1. a point on the compass, 11°15′ west of northwest. NWbW


northwest by west British  

noun

  1. one point on the compass south of northwest, 303° 45′ clockwise from north

"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

adjective

  1. in, from, or towards this direction

"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 northwest by west

First recorded in 1715–25

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.

“Aye, aye, sir. West northwest by west it is, sir.”

From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham

Bailleul, seventeen miles northwest by west of Lille, which had been occupied by the foe for eight days, was abandoned without a shot being fired.

From The New York Times Current History of the European War, Vol 1, Issue 4, January 23, 1915 by Various

At half-past four we saw Winerow Point bearing northwest by west.

From The Mutineers by Hawes, Charles Boardman

The American frigate was standing to the westward with the wind about north by west and bore from the two British frigates about northwest by west.

From The Naval War of 1812 Or the History of the United States Navy during the Last War with Great Britain to Which Is Appended an Account of the Battle of New Orleans by Roosevelt, Theodore

To the northward of this back country, other ranges ran parallel to those along the river, from northwest by west to south-east by east, and shorter ranges joined them occasionally.

From Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia : from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during the years 1844-1845 by Leichhardt, Ludwig