northwards
northwards — adverb
1. in the direction of the north; moving or facing toward a point that lies above t
in the direction of the north; moving or facing toward a point that lies above the equator on a standard map.
Christopher drove northwards from Bristol along the M5 motorway for nearly six hours.
verb of motion + northwards (driving direction)
The flock of geese turned northwards over the lake just before sunset.
movement of animals + northwards
From the harbour, Jin could see the fishing boats heading slowly northwards into the fog.
Amani pointed northwards and told the children that the old farm was a short walk away.
- southwards
in the opposite direction
文法句型
verb of motion + northwards
用法筆記
Predominantly British; American English prefers 'northward' as the adverb. Almost always follows a verb of motion or facing (drive, fly, head, turn, point, face).
常見錯誤
northwards — adjective
1. going, facing, or pointing toward the north; used before a noun to describe a ro
going, facing, or pointing toward the north; used before a noun to describe a route, slope, or movement aimed at that direction.
Élise booked a seat on the northwards train from London to Edinburgh for Friday morning.
northwards + noun (transport route)
The cabin sits on the northwards slope of the hill, so it gets very little afternoon sun.
northwards + noun (geographical feature)
Darius prefers the northwards route into town because the traffic is usually lighter.
Reema watched the northwards flight of the swallows from her kitchen window each spring.
- northward
more standard adjective form, especially in American English
- northbound
specifically for transport routes (trains, flights, traffic)
- southwards
facing or going in the opposite direction
文法句型
northwards + noun (direction, journey, slope)
用法筆記
Attributive only — sits before a noun, not after 'be'. Less frequent than the adverb form; 'northward' is the more common adjective variant in modern English.