"Down East", also "Downeast", is a term referring to parts of eastern coastal New England and Canada, particularly the U.S. state of Maine and Canada's Maritime Provinces. The phrase apparently derives from sailing terminology: sailors from western ports sailed downwind toward the east to reach the area. The area referred to closely corresponds to the historical French territory of Acadia. Within Maine, the phrase may refer specifically to the easternmost regions, also called Down East Maine. A person from the area may be called a down-easter.
The origin of the phrase "Down East" is typically traced to nautical terminology referring to direction, rather than location. In the warm months most suitable for sailing, the prevailing winds along the coast of New England and Canada blow from the southwest, meaning ships sail downwind to go east. As such, the northeastern stretches were said to be "Down East" in relation to the major western cities such as Boston. Correspondingly, sailors spoke of going "up to Boston" from these ports, a phrase still common in Maine, despite the fact that Boston is around fifty miles to the south of Maine. The term can be used as an adverb, adjective or noun. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the earliest known use in print to 1825. The phrase "down-easter", meaning a person from "Down East", appeared in print in 1828.
"Down East" is a term for parts of eastern New England and Canada's Maritime Provinces.
Down East may also refer to:
East Down may refer to:
All the people in your life say you're down
And the strangers in the night say you're down
And the loonies on the right say you're down and you're down
And the ambulances sigh that you're down
And the traffic speeding by says you're down
And the people in your life say you're down and you're down
Hey you chase the day away
Hey you draw the blinds and blow your mind away
And there's a sadness in your style
And there's a blankness in your smile
And the people in the park say you're down
And the strangers in the dark say you're down
And the pissheads in the bars say you're down
And the audiences cry that you're down
And the ambulances sigh that you're down
And the boyfriends in your life say you're down and you're down
Hey you chase the day away
Hey you draw the blinds and blow your mind away
And there's a sadness in your style
And there's a blankness in your smile
Hey you chase the day away
Hey you draw the blinds and blow your mind away
And there's a sadness in your style