WIDDERSHINS


Meaning of WIDDERSHINS in English

[ 'wɪdəʃɪnz ]

(also withershins )

■ adverb chiefly Scottish in a direction contrary to the sun's course (or anticlockwise), considered as unlucky.

Origin

C16: from Mid. Low Ger. weddersins , from Mid. High Ger. widersinnes , from wider 'against' + sin 'direction'; the second element was assoc. with Scots sin 'sun'.

Concise Oxford English vocab.      Сжатый оксфордский словарь английского языка.