(~s)
Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.
1.
The ~ of a place is the shelter that it gives from the wind or bad weather. (LITERARY)
...the cathedral, which nestles in the ~ of a hill beneath the town...
N-SING: with poss
2.
In sailing, the ~ side of a ship is the one that is away from the wind. (TECHNICAL)
ADJ: ADJ n