aguião

Portuguese

Etymology

From Old Galician-Portuguese aguyon (“north wind, north”), from Latin aquilōnem (“north wind”).

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /a.ɡiˈɐ̃w̃/ [a.ɡɪˈɐ̃ʊ̯̃], (faster pronunciation) /aˈɡjɐ̃w̃/ [aˈɡjɐ̃ʊ̯̃]

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ɐˈɡjɐ̃w̃/ [ɐˈɣjɐ̃w̃]

• Hyphenation: a‧gui‧ão

Noun

aguião m (uncountable)

1. north wind
2. north (compass point)
   • 1848, Alexandre Herculano, O Monge de Cister, volume 1, →OCLC, page 39:

     Com os braços cruzados e os olhos fitos no engenho arruinado, deixava-me ir ao som dos meus desvarios, quando vozes confusas vieram despertar-me. Olhei: o povo estava apinhado juncto á torre da Sé, que deita para a banda do aguião. Encaminhei-me para lá, sem saber porque: arrastava-me uma especie de instincto.

     With my arms crossed and my eyes fixed on the ruined mill, I let myself go to the sound of my ravings, when confused voices came to wake me up. I looked: the people were crowded around the Cathedral's tower, which faces towards the north. I headed there, without knowing why: a kind of instinct dragged me along.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Alexandre Herculano to this entry?)