From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
North \North\, a.
Lying toward the north; situated at the north, or in a
northern direction from the point of observation or
reckoning; proceeding toward the north, or coming from the
north.
[1913 Webster]
North following. See Following, a., 2.
North pole, that point in the heavens, or on the earth,
ninety degrees from the equator toward the north.
North preceding. See Following, a., 2.
North star, the star toward which the north pole of the
earth very nearly points, and which accordingly seems
fixed and immovable in the sky. The star [alpha] (alpha)
of the Little Bear, is our present north star, being
distant from the pole about 1[deg] 25', and from year to
year approaching slowly nearer to it. It is called also
Cynosura, polestar, and by astronomers, Polaris.
[1913 Webster]