different between westerly vs zephyr

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?w?st?(?)li/

Adjective

westerly (comparative more westerly, superlative most westerly)

1. Situated in the west.
2. (of wind) Coming from the west.

Synonyms

• ponent
• westly

Related terms

• (wind): wester

Translations

Adverb

westerly (comparative more westerly, superlative most westerly)

1. Towards the west.

Usage notes

Used by Land Surveyors when they do not want to be specific (not Astronomic West)

Synonyms

• westly

Noun

westerly (plural westerlies)

1. A westerly wind or storm.

Synonyms

• zephyr

Translations

Derived terms

• north-westerly, northwesterly
• south-westerly, southwesterly

Anagrams

• sweltery

English

Alternative forms

• zephir
• zefir

Etymology

From Latin zephyrus (“west wind”), from Ancient Greek ??????? (Zéphuros).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /z?f?(?)/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /z?f?/
• Rhymes: -?f?(?)

Noun

zephyr (plural zephyrs)

1. A light wind from the west.

   Synonym: westerly

   • 1671, R. Bohun, A Discourse Concerning the Origine and Properties of Wind, Oxford: Tho. Bowman, pp. 149-150,^[1]

     The Western [winds] have been Counted the mildest, & most Auspicious of all others; and were so highly in favour with the Poets, that they thought them worthy of the Golden Age, and to refresh the Elysian groves. [...] But though the Breathing Zephyrs are so much celebrated in Poems and Romances, and happily were kinder to the delicious countries of Italy, & Greece, yet wee find no lesse malignity in their natures from particular accidents and climats, then what wee have observ’d of other Winds.

2. Any light refreshing wind; a gentle breeze.
3. Anything of fine, soft, or light quality, especially fabric.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

zephyr (third-person singular simple present zephyrs, present participle zephyring, simple past and past participle zephyred)

1. (intransitive, poetic) To blow or move like a zephyr, or light breeze.
   • 1879, Robert Stephen Hawker, “An Inscription for an Aged Oak” in The Poetical Works, London: The Bodley Head, p. 171,^[2]

     There was a time

     When the soft zephyring spring came joyfully,

     Like a young bride, with bloom upon her cheek—

   • 1908, Clarence E. Mulford, The Coming of Hopalong Cassidy, New York: Grosset & Dunlap, Chapter 4, p. 60,^[3]

     There was a sudden scrambling and thumping overhead and hot exclamations zephyred down to them.
2. (transitive, poetic) To blow or blow on gently like a zephyr; to cool or refresh with a gentle breeze.
   • 1849, letter from Leonidas Lent Hamline dated 15 December, 1849, in Walter Clark Palmer, Life and Letters of Leonidas L. Hamline, D.D., New York: Carlton & Porter, 1866, Chapter 15, p. 361,^[4]

     He was a fragrant poison, a zephyred pestilence spread through all the city.

   • 1914, Leonard Lanson Cline, untitled sonnet in Poems, Boston: The Poet Lore Company, p. 76,^[5]

     Ah, but the skies are joyous in the spring,

     From dawn to dusk exuberantly blue;

     White-tufted oftentimes with clouds that do

     But wanton in heaven’s zephyred merrying!

   • 1914, Juliane Paulsen (pseudonym of Juliane Grace Hansen), “Poppy Fantasy” in And Then Came Spring, Boston: The Gorham Press, p. 49,^[6]

     Oh, graciously she led my soul within

     Where ever and forever went a wind

     In zephyred streams of poppies coursing sweet

     About the place, and waves of poppy heat

     About us there.