east

east
east O.E. east "east, easterly, eastward," from P.Gmc. *aus-to-, *austra- "east, toward the sunrise" (Cf. O.Fris. ast "east," aster "eastward," Du. oost O.S. ost, O.H.G. ostan, Ger. Ost, O.N. austr "from the east"), from PIE *aus- "to shine," especially "dawn" (Cf. Skt. ushas "dawn," Gk. aurion "morning," O.Ir. usah, Lith. auszra "dawn," L. aurora "dawn," auster "south"), lit. "to shine." The east is the direction in which dawn breaks. For theory of shift in sense in Latin, see AUSTRALIA (Cf. Australia).
Meaning "the eastern part of the world" (from Europe) is from c.1300. Fr. est, Sp. este are borrowings from Middle English, originally nautical. The east wind in Biblical Palestine was scorching and destructive (Cf. Ezek. xvii:10); in New England it is bleak, wet, unhealthful.
Cold War use of East for "communist states" first recorded 1951. Natives of eastern Germany and the Baltics were known as easterlings 16c.-18c. East End of London so called by 1846; East Side of Manhattan so called from 1882; East Indies (India and Southeast Asia) so called 1590s to distinguish them from the West Indies.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • East — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda East (en inglés: Este) hace referencia a varios artículos: Contenido 1 Comunicaciones 2 Lugares 2.1 Europa 2.2 América …   Wikipedia Español

  • east — east; east·er·most; east·ern·er; east·ern·ism; east·ern·ize; east·ern·ly; east·ern·most; east·ing; east·lake; east·lin; east·lins; east·most; east·ness; east·ward·ly; east·wards; north·east·er; north·east·ern; north·east·ern·er;… …   English syllables

  • East — ([=e]st), n. [OE. est, east, AS. e[ a]st; akin to D. oost, oosten, OHG. [=o]stan, G. ost, osten, Icel. austr, Sw. ost, Dan. [ o]st, [ o]sten, Lith. auszra dawn, L. aurora (for ausosa), Gr. hw s, e os, a yws, Skr. ushas; cf. Skr. ush to burn, L.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • East — n 1.) the East a) the countries in Asia, especially China and Japan ▪ Martial arts originated in the East. b) the countries in the eastern part of Europe and Central Asia ▪ American relations with the East. c) AmE the part of the US east of the… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • East — Nom Olivier Kponton Naissance 1969 Pays d’origine  France Décès 3  …   Wikipédia en Français

  • east — [ēst] n. [ME est < OE east, akin to Ger osten, ON austr < Gmc base * aust , dawn < IE base * awes , to shine, dawn > L aurora, dawn, aurum, gold] 1. the direction to the right of a person facing north; direction in which sunrise… …   English World dictionary

  • East — East, a. 1. Toward the rising sun; or toward the point where the sun rises when in the equinoctial; as, the east gate; the east border; the east side; the east wind is a wind that blows from the east. [1913 Webster] 2. (Eccl.) Designating, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • east — ► NOUN (the east) 1) the direction towards the point of the horizon where the sun rises at the equinoxes, on the right hand side of a person facing north. 2) the eastern part of a country, region, or town. 3) (the East) the regions or countries… …   English terms dictionary

  • east — east, eastern, easterly adjectives. What is said here applies equally to north, south, and west, and their corresponding forms. East denotes physical position (on the east side of town) and is spelt with a capital initial (East) when forming part …   Modern English usage

  • East — is a direction in geography. It is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points, opposite of west and at right angles to north and south. East is the direction toward which the Earth rotates about its axis, and therefore the general… …   Wikipedia

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