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Is there a word that describes an item in the set {northbound, eastbound, southbound, westbound} as distinct from an item in the set {north, east, south, west}?

Washington (place) → Washingtonian (demonym)

West (direction) → Westbound (???)

Bonus points for figuring out where clockwise and counterclockwise fit.

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    Why are they not directions?
    – Lynn
    Commented Dec 7, 2012 at 4:39
  • 2
    They could be qualified as directions of travel
    – Jim
    Commented Dec 7, 2012 at 7:12
  • Sounds much like an exam question to me. May not be, though: it's about framing the question than its import per se. On the face of it, the two examples do not quite fit one model either.
    – Kris
    Commented Dec 7, 2012 at 8:44

3 Answers 3

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Heading:- The course or direction in which a ship or aircraft is moving.

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    Actually, heading is only where the aircraft is pointing, it may or may not be the actual course or track depending on the winds aloft.
    – Jim
    Commented Dec 7, 2012 at 7:11
  • That's one use of the word, i.e., where the compass points to. Another use is for actual direction of travel, e.g., "Where are you heading?" The direction doesn't even have to be strictly a straight-line affair, e.g., "We're heading to the shops"
    – Chris
    Commented Dec 10, 2012 at 2:49
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Direction of movement or travel: Westbound, northbound...

Cardinal direction: West, north...

Here is a quote from a NY Times report of an accident: An investigator for the railroad, Chuck Randolph, said the corners of the two lead cars ripped each other, and the steel side of the eastbound train seven seats back. The side of the westbound train was ripped back five seats deep. Thirty-five passengers were in the three-car eastbound train, while 100 were in the two-car westbound one.

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/19/us/7-are-killed-as-commuter-trains-collide-in-indiana.html

As regards clockwise / anticlockwise move is concerned, imagine that you are moving in a car in a near rectangular closed loop. If you were moving in this order: Eastbound to the first corner of the near rectangular circuit, then Southbound to the next corner, Westbound, and finally Northbound to the fourth corner, then you would reach your bounds clockwise.

On the other hand if you were moving in this order: Westbound to the first corner of the near rectangular circuit, then Southbound to the next corner, Eastbound and finally Northbound, then you would reach your bounds anticlockwise.

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    Please complete the answer with at least one reliable source citation. Linking to a good online dictionary is fine.
    – MetaEd
    Commented Dec 7, 2012 at 5:25
  • @ MετάEd: Here is a quote from a NY Times report of an accident: An investigator for the railroad, Chuck Randolph, said the corners of the two lead cars ripped each other, and the steel side of the eastbound train seven seats back. The side of the westbound train was ripped back five seats deep. Thirty-five passengers were in the three-car eastbound train, while 100 were in the two-car westbound one. nytimes.com/1993/01/19/us/…
    – Essen
    Commented Dec 10, 2012 at 5:04
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    I may not have been clear. Please complete the answer means please edit your answer to include the information. Comments are temporary and should not contain an answer or a part of one.
    – MetaEd
    Commented Dec 10, 2012 at 16:52
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One might refer to them as "vectors" (a geometric construct with direction and magnitude)

If you are trying to fit clockwise into the set, they might be called "transformations": the primary transformations being translation, reflection, and rotation.

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