Meaning & use
north
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Meanings
nounsingular
The direction to your left when you face the rising sun, toward the pole at the top of a map.
Grammar: Takes the: to the north of the city; in the north.
Patterns
- to the north of something
- in the north
The lake lies to the north of the town.
A cold wind blew from the north.
Birds fly south in autumn and return to the north in spring.
adjectivebefore a noun
Located in, facing, or coming from the north.
Grammar: Comes before the noun: the north side; a north wind.
The north entrance is closed for repairs.
We sat on the north side of the stadium.
adverbnot comparable
Toward or in the direction of the north.
Grammar: No preposition needed after verbs of movement: drive north, not 'drive to north'.
Patterns
- head north
- travel north
We drove north for three hours.
The geese were flying north.
Common combinations
- head north
- We headed north along the coast.
- due north
- The ship sailed due north.
- north of
- Their farm is just north of the river.
- magnetic north
- A compass points to magnetic north.
- the far north
- Winters in the far north are long.
Synonyms and how they differ
Opposites
Word family
- northern adjective
- in or from the north
- northerly adjective
- toward or from the north
- northward adverb
- toward the north
- northerner noun
- a person from the north of a country
Commonly confused: north or northern?
north vs northern
North is the direction or a position; northern describes a region: the northern provinces.
Practice
We drove ___ along the highway until we reached the border.
Choose one answer.
As an adverb of direction, north follows the verb directly. 'To north' and 'the north' need different structures.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “north”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.