The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Northwest \North`west"\, adv.
   Toward the northwest.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Northwest \North`west"\, n. [AS. nor[eth]west.]
   1. The point in the horizon between the north and west, and
      equally distant from each; the northwest part or region.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The northwestern part of the contiguous forty-eight states
      of the United States, especially the states of Washington
      and Oregon. [U.S.]
      [PJC]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Northwest \North`west"\, a.
   1. Pertaining to, or in the direction of, the point between
      the north and west; being in the northwest; toward the
      northwest, or coming from the northwest; as, the northwest
      coast.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Coming from the northwest; as, a northwest wind.
      [1913 Webster]

   Northwest passage, a passage or communication by sea
      between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans along the north
      coast of America, long sought for by navigators.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

northwest
    adv 1: to, toward, or in the northwest [syn: northwest,
           north-west, nor'-west]
    adj 1: situated in or oriented toward the northwest [syn:
           northwestern, northwesterly, northwest]
    2: coming from the northwest; "northwesterly winds" [syn:
       northwesterly, northwest]
    n 1: the northwestern region of the United States [syn:
         Northwest, northwestern United States]
    2: the direction corresponding to the northwestward compass
       point
    3: the compass point midway between north and west; at 315
       degrees [syn: northwest, nor'-west, northwestward,
       NW]
    4: a location in the northwestern part of a country, region, or
       city

Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0:

91 Moby Thesaurus words for "northwest":
   Dixie, Dixieland, Down East, East, East Coast, Middle Atlantic,
   Middle West, NNW, NW, NW by N, NW by W, New England, North,
   North Central region, Northeast, Northwest, Pacific Northwest,
   South, Southeast, Southwest, Sunbelt, West, West Coast, Yankeeland,
   antarctic, arctic, austral, boreal, cardinal points, compass card,
   compass rose, degrees, east, eastbound, easterly, eastermost,
   eastern, easternmost, eastland, eastward, half points, hyperborean,
   lubber line, meridional, north, north-northwest, northbound,
   northeast, northeasterly, northeastern, northerly, northern,
   northernmost, northland, northward, northwest by north,
   northwest by west, northwesterly, northwestern, northwestward,
   northwestwardly, northwestwards, occident, occidental, orient,
   oriental, quarter points, rhumb, south, southbound, southeast,
   southeasterly, southeastern, southerly, southern, southernmost,
   southward, southwest, southwesterly, southwestern, sunrise, sunset,
   the Coast, west, westbound, westerly, western, westernmost,
   westland, westward, wild West



U.S. Gazetteer Places (2000):

Northwest, NC -- U.S. city in North Carolina
   Population (2000):    671
   Housing Units (2000): 293
   Land area (2000):     6.142841 sq. miles (15.909884 sq. km)
   Water area (2000):    0.000000 sq. miles (0.000000 sq. km)
   Total area (2000):    6.142841 sq. miles (15.909884 sq. km)
   FIPS code:            47860
   Located within:       North Carolina (NC), FIPS 37
   Location:             34.309517 N, 78.152817 W
   ZIP Codes (1990):
   Note: some ZIP codes may be omitted esp. for suburbs.
   Headwords:
    Northwest, NC
    Northwest