n. [ OE. est, east, AS. eást; akin to D. oost, oosten, OHG. ōstan, G. ost, osten, Icel. austr, Sw. ost, Dan. öst, östen, Lith. auszra dawn, L. aurora (for ausosa), Gr. 'hw`s, "e`os, 'a`yws, Skr. ushas; cf. Skr. ush to burn, L. urere. √149, 288. Cf. Aurora, Easter, Sterling.] 1. The point in the heavens where the sun is seen to rise at the equinox, or the corresponding point on the earth; that one of the four cardinal points of the compass which is in a direction at right angles to that of north and south, and which is toward the right hand of one who faces the north; the point directly opposite to the west. [1913 Webster]

The east began kindle. E. Everett. [1913 Webster]

2. The eastern parts of the earth; the regions or countries which lie east of Europe; the orient. In this indefinite sense, the word is applied to Asia Minor, Syria, Chaldea, Persia, India, China, etc.; as, the riches of the East; the diamonds and pearls of the East; the kings of the East. [1913 Webster]

The gorgeous East, with richest hand,
Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold. Milton. [1913 Webster]

3. (U. S. Hist. and Geog.) Formerly, the part of the United States east of the Alleghany Mountains, esp. the Eastern, or New England, States; now, commonly, the whole region east of the Mississippi River, esp. that which is north of Maryland and the Ohio River; -- usually with the definite article; as, the commerce of the East is not independent of the agriculture of the West. [1913 Webster]

East by north,
East by south, according to the notation of the mariner's compass, that point which lies 111/4° to the north or south, respectively, of the point due east. --
East-northeast,
East-southeast, that which lies 221/2° to the north or south of east, or half way between east and northeast or southeast, respectively. See Illust. of Compass. [1913 Webster]

adv. Eastward. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Toward the rising sun; or toward the point where the sun rises when in the equinoctial; as, the east gate; the east border; the east side; the east wind is a wind that blows from the east. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Eccl.) Designating, or situated in, that part of a church which contains the choir or chancel; as, the east front of a cathedral. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

v. i. To move toward the east; to veer from the north or south toward the east; to orientate. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. 1. moving toward the east; as, eastbound trains.
Syn. -- eastward. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

2. designated for traffic moving toward the east; -- of lanes in roads or railroads, or other traffic lanes; as, the eastbound lanes of Interstate 80 are blocked by an overturned tractor-trailer; the train will leave on eastbound platform 5. [ PJC ]

adj. of a region of the U. S. generally including Kentucky and West Virginia. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

v. i. (Naut.) To veer to the east; -- said of the wind. Russell. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ AS. eáster, eástran, paschal feast, Easter; akin to G. ostern; fr. AS. Eástre, a goddess of light or spring, in honor of whom a festival was celebrated in April; whence this month was called in AS. Eástermōnað. From the root of E. east. See East. ] 1. An annual church festival commemorating Christ's resurrection, and occurring on Sunday, the second day after Good Friday. It corresponds to the pascha or passover of the Jews, and most nations still give it this name under the various forms of pascha, pasque, pâque, or pask. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The day on which the festival is observed; Easter day. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Easter is used either adjectively or as the first element of a compound; as, Easter day or Easter-day, Easter Sunday, Easter week, Easter gifts, Easter eggs. [ 1913 Webster ]

Sundays by thee more glorious break,
An Easter day in every week. Keble. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Easter day, on which the rest of the movable feasts depend, is always the first Sunday after the fourteenth day of the calendar moon which (fourteenth day) falls on, or next after, the 21st of March, according to the rules laid down for the construction of the calendar; so that if the fourteenth day happen on a Sunday, Easter day is the Sunday after. Eng. Cyc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Easter dues (Ch. of Eng.), money due to the clergy at Easter, formerly paid in communication of the tithe for personal labor and subject to exaction. For Easter dues, Easter offerings, voluntary gifts, have been substituted. --
Easter egg. (a) A painted or colored egg used as a present at Easter. (b) An imitation of an egg, in sugar or some fine material, sometimes made to serve as a box for jewelry or the like, used as an Easter present. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (Bot.) Any one of various lilies or lilylike flowers which bloom about Easter; specif.: (a) The common white lily (Lilium candidum), called also Annunciation lily. (b) The larger white lily (Lilium longiflorum eximium, syn. L. Harrisii) called also Bermuda lily. (c) The daffodil (Narcissus Pseudo-Narcissus). (d) The Atamasco lily. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ Cf. Sterling. ] 1. A native of a country eastward of another; -- used, by the English, of traders or others from the coasts of the Baltic. [ 1913 Webster ]

Merchants of Norway, Denmark, . . . called . . . Easterlings because they lie east in respect of us. Holinshed. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A piece of money coined in the east by Richard II. of England. Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Zoöl.) The smew. [ 1913 Webster ]