West End of London
- proper noun
Examples
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Oh, the West End of London.
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It was gone 2:30 a.m., and we found ourselves in a club somewhere in the West End of London.
Blog text (13) -
The West End of London is famous for its vibrant nightlife and numerous theatres.
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Many tourists visit the West End of London to see the latest blockbuster musicals.
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Shopping in the West End of London offers everything from high-end fashion to unique boutiques.
Synonyms
A part of west central London known for its theatres and shops
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase transparently signals a location — 'west' + 'end' + 'of' + 'London' will be understood by a B1 learner as the western part or extremity of London. However, the conventionalized, capitalized sense 'the West End' meaning the specific theatre/entertainment and shopping district is culturalised and not fully predictable from the parts alone, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
West End of London may come from the city's west (the west side) and end (the edge) where richer people moved and where shops and theatres first gathered. So, because many theatres, shops and restaurants grew there, West End of London now means the busy area of 'entertainment' and 'shopping'.