I. ˈsau̇th adverb
Etymology: Middle English south, suth, from Old English sūth; akin to Old Frisian sūth southward, Old Norse suthr, Old High German sund-; akin to Old High German sunna sun — more at sun
: to, toward, or in the south : southward
II. adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English sūthan-, from sūthan, adverb; akin to Old High German sundan from the south; derivative from the root of English south (I)
1.
a. : coming from the south
a south wind
b.
[Middle English, from Old English sūth, from sūth, adverb]
: situated toward or at the south
the south entrance
the south country
2. : situated in the direction of the right side of a church looking from the nave toward the altar or chancel
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from south (I)
1.
a. : the direction of the south terrestrial pole : the direction to the right of one facing east : the direction to the right of one facing the sunrise when the sun is near one of the equinoxes
b. : the part of the sky lying to the right of an observer facing east
c. : the cardinal point directly opposite to north — abbr. S ; see compass card
d. : the direction along any meridian toward that pole of the earth viewed from which the earth's rotation is clockwise
e. : the direction on the celestial sphere to the right when one faces the direction of its apparent rotation : the direction to the right when one faces the direction of revolution around the sun of the earth and the principal planets
2. usually capitalized
a. : regions or countries lying to the south of a specified or implied point of orientation (as in the United States the states lying in general south of Mason and Dixon's Line and the Ohio river)
b. : something (as people, culture, or institutions) characteristic of the South
for years the South could be depended upon to vote the straight Democratic ticket
3. : the south wind
4. often capitalized
a. : the one of four positions at 90-degree intervals that lies toward the south
b. : a person (as a bridge player) occupying such a position in the course of a specific activity
IV. ˈsau̇th, ˈsau̇th intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. : to move or veer toward the south
2. : to come to the meridian : cross the north-and-south line — used chiefly of the sun and moon
V. adverb
: into a state of decline or ruin
causes the sluggish economy to go south — G.F.Will
VI. noun
Usage: usually capitalized
: the developing nations of the world : third world 3 herein