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south by west

American  

noun

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


south by west British  

noun

  1. one point on the compass west of south; 191° 15′ 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

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.

Soon the fraying American regiments were being hounded south by west through New Jersey, and by Christmas Day King George’s troops had driven them across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

The captain set their course south by west, apparently for some island of which he knew, and meanwhile the men strove not so much to make distance as to keep the boat right side up.

From The Sun Of Quebec A Story of a Great Crisis by Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander)

In our passage from Madeira to the Canary Islands we steered south by west, in order to avoid the Salvages.

From Young Tom Bowling The Boys of the British Navy by Greene, John B.

At 1.17 p.m. made three-quarters of a mile south by west along the bank of the river.

From Journal of Landsborough's Expedition from Carpentaria In search of Burke and Wills by Landsborough, William

I heard Perth say there were over two points and a half variation; and that makes the course about south by west.

From Down the Rhine Young America in Germany by Optic, Oliver

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