northwest by west
Very LowTechnical, Nautical, Meteorological
Definition
Meaning
A compass point located one point (11.25°) west of northwest, specifically 303.75° on the 32-point compass.
Primarily a precise navigational and meteorological term indicating a specific direction. It has no figurative or extended meanings in common usage.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This is a compound, cardinal-intercardinal compass point. It belongs to a highly specialized lexicon of 32-point sailing directions, now largely obsolete in everyday navigation (replaced by degrees). It implies high precision within its technical context.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The term is equally archaic/technical in both dialects.
Connotations
Connotes traditional seamanship, sailing, or historical navigation. Often found in classic literature, old charts, or among sailing enthusiasts.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary speech or writing in both regions, limited to historical or niche technical contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The wind shifted to [northwest by west].Set a course for [northwest by west].The bearing is [northwest by west].Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not used.
Academic
Only in historical, meteorological, or naval history texts.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Used in traditional maritime navigation, sailing, and occasionally in detailed weather reports or historical fiction.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adverb
British English
- The ship sailed northwest by west for six hours.
- We are heading northwest by west.
American English
- The storm is moving northwest by west.
- Turn the telescope to point northwest by west.
adjective
British English
- The northwest-by-west gale made progress difficult.
- They took a northwest-by-west bearing.
American English
- A northwest-by-west wind is expected.
- The ship maintained a northwest-by-west heading.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The old map showed the island lying to the northwest by west.
- The captain ordered a change in course to northwest by west to avoid the shallows.
- According to the log, the wind was steady from the northwest by west.
- In Conrad's novel, the vessel held its perilous course, doggedly beating into a relentless northwest-by-west wind.
- Traditional celestial navigation requires memorizing all 32 points, including obscure ones like northwest by west.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the full sequence: NORTH, North by West, NORTH BY WEST, North-Northwest, NORTH NORTHWEST, Northwest by North, NORTHWEST, Northwest by West. 'By west' means 'towards the west from', so 'Northwest by West' is one step from Northwest towards West.
Conceptual Metaphor
Precision as a fixed point (not a general direction).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- It is not a general 'northwest' (северо-запад). It is a very specific sub-direction with no direct single-word Russian equivalent. It must be described as 'северо-запад, с отклонением к западу' or as the exact bearing.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing it with 'northwest' or 'west-northwest'. Using it in non-technical contexts where it sounds overly precise and archaic.
- Incorrectly expanding the abbreviation as 'northwest by *the* west'.
Practice
Quiz
'Northwest by west' is most precisely defined as:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is a more precise direction, one 'point' (11.25 degrees) to the west of the standard compass point 'northwest' (315°).
Almost never in daily life. It is used in historical re-enactment, traditional sailing, certain meteorological observations, and in reading historical documents or literature.
The standard abbreviation on nautical charts is NWbW.
Northwest is 315°. Moving one point (11.25°) towards west (which is 270°) means subtracting 11.25° from 315°, giving a bearing of 303.75°.