south by west
- noun
- Specialized
:
sur-oeste
- The ship was sailing south by west to avoid the rocky coastline.
Examples
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The wind shifted to south by west during the afternoon, bringing warmer air.
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According to the map, our next bearing should be south by west for five miles.
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The ship was heading south by west during the storm.
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Can you point the direction south by west?
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The sailor adjusted the boat's course to south by west to avoid the rocky shore.
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On the map, the location was marked as being south by west of the village center.
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To reach the hidden cove, we need to travel south by west for about three miles.
Synonyms
A compass direction slightly west of due south
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The components 'south' and 'west' clearly signal directional meaning, and 'by' suggests a slight deviation, so learners can infer it refers to a direction between south and west. However, the precise nautical/compass sense (one point west of due south, a technical angle) is specialized and not predictable from everyday meanings, making the expression only partially transparent to a B1 learner.
Etymology
South by west comes from old sailors and mapmakers who divided the compass into many small steps. It means the direction one small step west of straight south — literally south 'by' west — so today it names a precise direction on maps and at sea.
