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Glite Dictionary
windward side

windward side

1 5.8
The side that faces the wind on a ship or land
  • noun
translation icon : lado de barlovento
  • During the hike, we took a break on the windward side of the mountain to shield ourselves from the strong gusts.
  • windward side of the island
  • windward side of the mountains
  • windward side of a dune

Examples

  • He leaped from one clump of sage to another as he climbed the windward side of a ridge.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • You will notice that the plants grow taller on the windward side of the hill due to better sunlight exposure.

  • But on the windward side of the pool, they would probably be safe from the gas.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Just a little turbulence in the thermals on the windward side of the mountain.

    Narrow Margin (1990)

  • Maui's windward side is a lush, green agricultural area.

    Academic text (1993)

  • She led the way down the windward side of the ridge, away from the milling people.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • The mountain's eastern, windward side, which receives more rain than the lee side, has been carved into spectacular green cliffs and valleys.

    Academic text (1995)

  • Tiring of the barge, Johnny motioned for Malin to follow him along the rocks that lay scattered at the bottom of the bluffs on the windward side of the island.

    Fiction book (1999)

  • This isn't a wild tangled jungle of rainforest like you'd find on the windward side; it's a drier, less humid place with tall trees and room for the sun to penetrate.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • The wind hits hard against the windward side of the ship as we sail into the storm.

Synonyms

windward position
vswindward side
6.7

The side that faces the wind

is about the object's actual surface that faces into the wind
weather side
vswindward side
7.9

A part of a ship or building that faces the wind

is specifically the part that faces directly into the wind

Antonyms

leeward side
  • Specialized
1 5.9

The side of something protected from the wind

How Exposed

windward side
1 5.8
leeward side
  • Specialized
1 5.9

Surface Forms

windward side singular
windward sides plural

Morphology

windward + side

The phrase is transparently compositional: 'windward' means the side exposed to the wind and 'side' specifies the area, so 'windward side' straightforwardly means the side facing into (or from which) the wind. This adjective+noun pattern is semantically regular and has close equivalents in many languages, so a learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Windward side names the part of a ship or land that faces the wind: windward means where the wind comes from and side means the facing part. So the windward side is the part that 'faces into the wind' and often gets more wind and rain.