North is one of the four cardinal directions, specifically the direction that, in Western culture, is treated as the primary direction: north is used (explicitly or implicitly) to define all other directions; the (visual) top edges of maps usually correspond to the northern edge of the territory represented, unless explicitly stated otherwise or landmarks are considered more useful for that territory than specific directions.

Definitions

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North can mean:

1. true north, the direction along the earth's surface toward one pole of the earth's rotation, namely the pole that is clearly on one's left when standing at the Equator while facing the rising sun.
2. magnetic north, the direction along the earth's surface in which horizontal magnetic field strength has its most positive value (but see Flipping of planetary magnetic poles for an eventual event, so rare as to make unlikely any advance agreement on whether one or two retronyms would be involved in the replacement terminology)
3. a loosely specified direction, usually within half a right angle of true north, especially when stating travel instructions in an area where directions of travel are constrained by an approximately rectangular grid of streets, hallways, etc.; this is often called 'grid north' or 'plan north'.
4. the orientation of a traveller with respect to a visible or otherwise definite continuous two-way route, such that sustained travel over the whole of the route produces a change of position to a location further north, even if that involves travelling a part of the route in another direction, even straight south; often termed "northbound".
5. pertaining to the part of a route mainly or exclusively used by northbound traffic, where southbound traffic is separated by barriers, or where both are encouraged to stay mostly in one portion by rules of the road; often termed "northbound".

Etymology

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Devon North - Twitter Search

#uksnow barnstaple, north Devon. http://tweetphoto.com/8053863
HazelClarke (Hazel Clarke) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:57:55 -0000
#uksnow barnstaple, north Devon. http://tweetphoto.com/8053863
Woo!! Snow in North Devon!!
tornclothing (Duncan Godfrey) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:49:08 -0000
Woo!! Snow in North Devon!!
#uksnow Quite a bit in North Devon, it's settling rather rapidly including on the roads.
willum36 (Will Griffith) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:34:12 -0000
#uksnow Quite a bit in North Devon, it's settling rather rapidly including on the roads.
http://twitpic.com/wr5jm snow in north devon on my birthday....sweeeet!!!!!!!
davegibbeson (davegibbeson) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:11:16 -0000
http://twitpic.com/wr5jm snow in north devon on my birthday....sweeeet!!!!!!!
Get involved with North Devon Council's surf bus survey http://tinyurl.com/yczc8ep
huckmagazine (HUCK Magazine) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 10:08:42 -0000
Get involved with North Devon Council's surf bus survey http://tinyurl.com/yczc8ep
Heavy snow here in North Devon RT @ElbtheProf: Snow updates around the West Country requested. We have had three flakes so far...
crosswest (Catherine Pettifer) Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:58:05 -0000
Heavy snow here in North Devon RT @ElbtheProf: Snow updates around the West Country requested. We have had three flakes so far...

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