[east] adv [ME est, fr. OE east; akin to OHG ostar to the east, L aurora dawn, Gk eos, heos] (bef. 12c): to, toward, or in the east
[2]east adj (bef. 12c) 1: situated toward or at the east "an ~ window"
2: coming from the east "an ~ wind" [3]east n (bef. 12c) 1 a: the general direction of sunrise: the direction toward the right of one facing north b: the compass point directly opposite to west
2. cap a: regions lying to the east of a specified or implied point of orientation b: regions having a culture derived from ancient non-European esp. Asian areas
3: the altar end of a church
4. often cap a: the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies to the east or at the right of a diagram b: a person (as a bridge player) occupying this position in the course of a specified activity