southing

[ sou-thing ]

noun

1. Astronomy.
   1. the transit of a heavenly body across the celestial meridian.
   2. south declination.
2. movement or deviation toward the south.
3. distance due south made by a vessel.

southing

/ ˈsaʊðɪŋ /

noun

1. nautical movement, deviation, or distance covered in a southerly direction
2. astronomy a south or negative declination

Word History and Origins

Origin of southing¹

First recorded in 1650–60; south + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

What was so wonderful was that I could come again to a quiet country road, tree-bordered, with fenced fields and cows, could pull up Rocinante beside a lake of clear, clean water and see high overhead the arrows of southing ducks and geese.

From Literature

You’d punch a hole in the top left corner, hang it on a string, and consult it for — well, as the almanac puts it: “The rising, setting, and Eclipses of the Sun and Moon; the phases, places, and southing of the Moon; the aspects of the planets; the rising, setting, and southing of the most conspicuous planets and fixed stars; the equation of time; with a variety of useful and entertaining matter, anecdotes, &c., &c.”

From New York Times

The knowledge that the sun was returning, of southing being made by drift, and chances of game increasing were conditions of hope that made it an almost cheerful holiday.

From Project Gutenberg

At daylight on the 15th, we were again off Rivers Peak, notwithstanding our having carried a press of sail in order to make southing during the night.

From Project Gutenberg

It lies just beyond the hill before him, from whose crest he shall see the nut-tree where he shot his first squirrel, the southing slope where the beeches hide the spring, where he astonished himself with the glory of killing his first grouse, and he shall see the glint of the brook flashing down the evergreen dell and creeping among the alder copses.

From Project Gutenberg