northwest

northwest
/nawrth'west"/; Naut. /nawr'west"/, n.
1. a point on the compass midway between north and west. Abbr.: NW
2. a region in this direction.
3. the Northwest,
a. the northwestern part of the United States, esp. Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
b. the northwestern part of the United States when its western boundary was the Mississippi River.
c. the northwestern part of Canada.
adj.
4. Also, northwestern. coming from the northwest: a northwest wind.
5. directed toward the northwest: sailing a northwest course.
adv.
6. from the northwest.
7. toward the northwest: sailing northwest.
[bef. 900; ME, OE; see NORTH, WEST]

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(as used in expressions)

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also called  Pacific Northwest,  

      region, northwestern U.S., including the states of Oregon and Washington and part of Idaho.

      Originally claimed by Spain, Britain, Russia, and finally the United States, the Northwest was jointly occupied by Britain and the United States until 1846, when the 49th parallel was made the boundary between the United States and British-held Canada. The area had been explored by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark in 1804–06 and by various trappers and fur traders, and settlers began arriving there by way of the Oregon Trail in the 1840s. Farming and trapping were the original economic mainstays, to be followed in later years by lumbering, fishing, and mining.

      A region of spectacular beauty and valuable natural resources, the Northwest has attracted relatively few immigrants largely because of its basically wet climate. Furthermore, the economy has tended to rely on a few big industries, such as timber, and aeronautics in Washington, so that fluctuations in the business cycle are particularly severe in the region.

      Growth rates in the Northwest have been high but generally below those of neighbouring states in the Southwest. Government, particularly in Oregon, has tended to be progressive and especially sensitive to environmental issues.

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Universalium. 2010.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • Northwest — North west , a. 1. Pertaining to, or in the direction of, the point between the north and west; being in the northwest; toward the northwest, or coming from the northwest; as, the northwest coast. [1913 Webster] 2. Coming from the northwest; as,… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • northwest — [nôrth΄west′; ] naut. [ nôr΄west′] n. 1. the direction, or the point on a mariner s compass, halfway between north and west; 45° west of due north 2. a district or region in or toward this direction adj. 1. in, of, to, toward, or facing the… …   English World dictionary

  • Northwest — Northwest, NC U.S. city in North Carolina Population (2000): 671 Housing Units (2000): 293 Land area (2000): 6.142841 sq. miles (15.909884 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 6.142841 sq. miles… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Northwest, NC — U.S. city in North Carolina Population (2000): 671 Housing Units (2000): 293 Land area (2000): 6.142841 sq. miles (15.909884 sq. km) Water area (2000): 0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km) Total area (2000): 6.142841 sq. miles (15.909884 sq. km)… …   StarDict's U.S. Gazetteer Places

  • Northwest — North west , n. [AS. nor[eth]west.] 1. The point in the horizon between the north and west, and equally distant from each; the northwest part or region. [1913 Webster] 2. The northwestern part of the contiguous forty eight states of the United… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Northwest — North west , adv. Toward the northwest. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Northwest — (englisch für „Nordwesten“) bezeichnet: die Fluglinie Northwest Airlines die Region Nord Ouest (Kamerun) in englischer Sprache den North West District (Botswana) die Provinz Nordwest (Südafrika) die Nordwestterritorien Kanadas Nordwest (Singapur) …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • northwest — O.E. norðwest (adv.); from NORTH (Cf. north) + WEST (Cf. west). As a noun from late 14c. Related: Northwestern; northwesterly; northwestward. Northwest Passage first attested c.1600 …   Etymology dictionary

  • Northwest — For names and places containing the slightly longer word northwestern (or variants), see northwestern (disambiguation). A compass rose with Northwest highlighted Northwest or north west is the ordinal direction halfway between north and west on a …   Wikipedia

  • northwest — north|west1 Northwest [ˌno:θˈwest US ˌno:rθ ] n written abbreviation NW [U] 1.) the direction that is exactly between north and west 2.) the northwest the northwestern part of a country >northwest adv ▪ She rode northwest toward Boulder.… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

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