deasil
adverb
dea·sil ˈdē-zəl 
: clockwise compare widdershins
Did you know?
Deasil Has Scottish Gaelic Roots
According to an old custom, you can bring someone good fortune by walking around the person clockwise three times while carrying a torch or candle. In Scottish Gaelic, the word deiseil is used for the direction one walks in such a luck-bringing ritual. English speakers modified the spelling to deasil, and have used the word to describe clockwise motion in a variety of rituals.
Word History
Etymology
Scottish Gaelic deiseil, from Middle Irish dessel, from Old Irish dess right, south + sel turn; akin to Latin dexter right hand — more at dexter
First Known Use
1771, in the meaning defined above
deasil
adverb
as in clockwise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- clockwise
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- back
- about
- round
- backwards
- down
- backward
- around
- behind
- downward
- downwards
- rearward
- rearwards
- reversely
- obversely
- free soloes
- free soloing
- free soloist
- free soloists
- free solos
- free speech
- free spirit
- free spirits
- free spool
- Free State
- Free Stater
- free tenement
- free thought
- free throw
- free throw lane
- free time
- free trade
- free trader
- free union
- free university
- free variable
- free variation
- free verse
- free verses
- free vibration