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south

south definition

south (so̵ut̸h)

noun

the direction to the left of a person facing the sunset; direction of the South Pole from any other point on the earth's surface
the point on a compass at 180°, directly opposite north
a region or district in or toward this direction
the southern part of the earth, esp. the antarctic regions

Etymology: ME < OE suth, akin to OHG sund-, ON suthr < Gmc *suntha- (understood as sun side < IE *sun-, sun), prob. < *swintha-, strong, sound, to the right side, in reference to the east-facing position during prayer

adjective

in, of, to, toward, or facing the south
from the south a south wind
designating the southern part of a continent, country, etc. South Asia

adverb

in or toward the south; in a southerly direction

south Idioms

go south

☆

Informal to decline, deteriorate, fail, etc. stock prices went south

the South

☆ that part of the U.S. which is bounded on the north by the southern border of Pa., the Ohio River, and the eastern and northern borders of Mo.; specif., in the Civil War, the Confederacy