leeward
Other forms: leewards; leewardly
The adjective leeward describes an area or side of a boat that's facing away from the wind. If you move to the leeward side of your sailboat, you're shifting to the sheltered, downwind side.
You're likely to hear the word leeward when you're on a boat, since wind direction is hugely important when you're sailing. You can, however, use it to describe any area that's protected from the wind, even when you're on land. Your tent might fare best if you pitch it on the leeward side of a valley, for example. The lee part of leeward comes from the Old English hleo, which means "shelter, defense, or protection."
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on the side away from the wind
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toward the wind
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the direction in which the wind is blowing
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the side of something that is sheltered from the wind
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Vocabulary lists containing leeward
Shipwrecked and blinded from a torpedo attack, Phillip must conquer his prejudices when his only companion is an elderly West Indian man named Timothy.
Billy saves enough money to buy two pups, Old Dan and Little Ann. Together they become one of the best hunting teams in the Ozarks—and devoted friends as well. But when the unthinkable happens, Billy must learn how to nurture hope in a time of tragedy.
Considered a classic of Modernist literature, this unpredictable poem is a collage of voices and languages that explores British society and myths of devastated civilizations.