northward
/ˈnɔːθ.wəd/ (bre, ipa) · [nˈɔrθwɚd] /ˈnɔːrθ.wɚd/ (ame, ipa) · [nˈɔrθwɚd] /ˈnȯrth-wərd/ (ame, mw) · /ˈnɔːθwəd/ (bre, ipa) · [nˈɔrθwɚd] /ˈnɔːrθwərd/ (ame, ipa)
northward — adverb
1. moving, looking, or pointing in a direction that goes toward the north — used to
moving, looking, or pointing in a direction that goes toward the north — used to describe the path of a journey, the direction of a flow, or the orientation of a gaze or gesture
Nora and her brother drove northward through the night to reach the morning ferry.
northward with movement verbs (drove, travelled, flew)
The storm moved northward across the coast, forcing many families to leave their homes.
Andrew pointed northward and said the lake was just beyond those low hills.
Each spring the herd travels northward to find fresh grass on the open plains.
- north
shorter and more direct; northward emphasises the ongoing direction of movement
- to the north
a phrasal alternative that works better in static contexts ('the town is to the north')
- southward
opposite direction
- southwards
opposite direction, British variant
用法筆記
Commonly used with verbs of movement (travel, drive, fly, walk) and verbs of direction (point, look, face). The alternative form northwards is frequent in British English but carries the same meaning.
常見錯誤
northward — adjective
- northwardpositive
- more northwardcomparative
- most northwardsuperlative
1. going, facing, or moving towards the north — placed before a noun to describe a
going, facing, or moving towards the north — placed before a noun to describe a journey, route, wind, current, or slope that leads or faces in that direction
The northward journey took the team across three high mountain passes.
attributive before journey/direction nouns
The ship set a northward course, aiming to reach the port before the winter storms began.
attributive with 'course' for a planned direction of travel
Rin checked the northward route on the map before starting the long hike.
The northward flow of the river changes completely during the dry season each year.
- northern
describes location (the northern part) rather than direction of movement
- northbound
specifically for roads, trains, or vehicles heading north
- southward
opposite direction
用法筆記
Only used attributively (before a noun). To describe a subject in a predicative position use 'north' instead: 'the wind is north', NOT 'the wind is northward.'
常見錯誤
northward — noun
1. the direction that lies toward the north, or the area that is located in that di
the direction that lies toward the north, or the area that is located in that direction — used in formal, literary, or navigational contexts
To the northward the forest gives way to wide open grasslands.
phrase: to the northward
From the northward, cold winds sweep down across the valley every winter.
phrase: from the northward
To the northward, the dark shape of the mountains could still be seen against the twilight sky.
The old sailor gazed to the northward, searching for any sign of the distant ship.
- north
more common in everyday use; less formal
- northern part
explicitly refers to a geographic area rather than a direction
- southward
the area or direction to the south
用法筆記
This noun sense is less common in everyday speech. In modern English, the phrases 'to the north' or 'north of' are usually preferred. The noun form appears mostly in formal writing, historical texts, and navigational descriptions.