East is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. East is one of the four cardinal directions or compass points. It is the opposite of west and is perpendicular to north and south.
By convention, the right hand side of a map is east.
To go east using a compass for navigation, set a bearing or azimuth of 90°.
East is the direction toward which the Earth rotates about its axis, and therefore the general direction from which the Sun appears to rise.
During the Cold War, "The East" was sometimes used to refer to the Warsaw Pact and Communist China, along with other Communist nations.
Throughout history, the East has also been used by Europeans in reference to the Orient and Asian societies.
Read more about East: Etymology
Famous quotes containing the word east:
“Before I finally went into winter quarters in November, I used to resort to the north- east side of Walden, which the sun, reflected from the pitch pine woods and the stony shore, made the fireside of the pond; it is so much pleasanter and wholesomer to be warmed by the sun while you can be, than by an artificial fire. I thus warmed myself by the still glowing embers which the summer, like a departed hunter, had left.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“Though all the East did quake to hear
Of Alexander’s dreadful name,
And all the West likewise did fear
To hear of Julius Caesar’s fame,”
—Robert Southwell (1561?–1595)
“From the east to western Inde,
No jewel is like Rosalind.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)