side
side / sīd/ • n. 1. a position to the left or right of an object, place, or central point: a town on the other side of the river on either side of the entrance was a garden Rachel tilted her head to one side. ∎ either of the two halves of an object, surface, or place regarded as divided by an imaginary central line: she lay on her side of the bed the left side of the brain. ∎ the right or the left part of a person's or animal's body, esp. of the human torso: he has been paralyzed on his right side since birth. ∎ [in sing.] a place or position closely adjacent to someone: his wife stood at his side. ∎ either of the lateral halves of the body of a butchered animal, or an animal or fish prepared for eating: a side of beef.2. an upright or sloping surface of a structure or object that is not the top or bottom and generally not the front or back: a car crashed into the side of the house line the sides of the cake pan | [as adj.] a side entrance. ∎ each of the flat surfaces of a solid object. ∎ either of the two surfaces of something flat and thin, such as paper or cloth. ∎ the amount of writing needed to fill one side of a sheet of paper: she told us not to write more than three sides. ∎ either of the two faces of a record or of the two separate tracks on a length of recording tape.3. a part or region near the edge and away from the middle of something: a minivan was parked at the side of the road cabins on the south side of the clearing. ∎ [as adj.] subsidiary to or less important than something: a side dish of fresh vegetables. ∎ a dish served as subsidiary to the main one: sides of German potato salad and red cabbage. ∎ each of the lines forming the boundary of a plane rectilinear figure: the farm buildings formed three sides of a square.4. a person or group opposing another or others in a dispute, contest, or debate: the two sides agreed to resume border trade whose side are you on? ∎ chiefly Brit. a sports team. ∎ the position, interests, or attitude of one person or group, esp. when regarded as being in opposition to another or others: Mrs. Burt hasn't kept her side of the bargain the conservationists are on the city's side of the case. ∎ a particular aspect of something, esp. a situation or a person's character: her ability to put up with his disagreeable side. ∎ a person's kinship or line of descent as traced through either their father or mother: Richard was of French descent on his mother's side.5. (also side·spin) horizontal spinning motion given to a ball. ∎ Billiards another term for English (sense 3). • v. 1. [intr.] (side with/against) support or oppose in a conflict, dispute, or debate: he felt that Max had betrayed him by siding with Beatrice.2. [tr.] provide with a side or sides; form the side of: the hills that side a long valley.PHRASES: by (or at) someone's side close to someone, esp. so as to give them comfort or moral support: a stepson who stayed by your side when your own son deserted you.by the side of close to: a house by the side of the road.from side to side1. alternately left and right from a central point: I shook my head frantically from side to side.2. across the entire width; right across: the fleet stretched four miles from side to side.have something on one's side (or something is on one's side) something is operating to one's advantage: now that he had time on his side, Tom relaxed a little.on (or to) one side out of one's way; aside. ∎ to be dealt with or considered later, esp. because tending to distract one from something more important: before the kickoff a player has to set his disappointments and frustrations to one side.on the —— side tending toward being ——; rather —— (used to qualify an adjective): these shoes are a bit on the tight side.on the side1. in addition to one's regular job or as a subsidiary source of income: no one lived in the property, but the caretaker made a little on the side by renting rooms out.2. secretly, esp. with regard to a relationship in addition to one's legal or regular partner: Brian had a mistress on the side.3. served separately from the main dish: a club sandwich with french fries on the side.side by side (of two or more people or things) close together and facing the same way: on we jogged, side by side, for a mile. ∎ together: we have been using both systems, side by side, for two years. ∎ (of people or groups) supporting each other; in cooperation: the two institutions worked side by side in complete harmony.side of the fencesee fence.take sides support one person or cause against another or others in a dispute, conflict, or contest: I do not want to take sides in this matter.take (or draw) someone to one side speak to someone in private, esp. so as to advise or warn them about something.this side of1. before (a particular time, date, or event): this side of midnight. ∎ yet to reach (a particular age): I'm this side of forty-five.2. inf. used in superlative expressions to denote that something is comparable with a paragon or model of its kind: the finest coffee this side of Brazil.DERIVATIVES: side·less adj.
side
Hence side vb. XV. sidelong sideways, obliquely; also adj. XVI. alt. of sideling (XIV); see -LING2, -LONG sidesman XVII. alt. of †sideman (XVI–XVII), ‘a man who stands at the side of a churchwarden’. sideways from one side, laterally, obliquely. XVI. siding taking sides XVII; concr. piece of something at the side XVIII; see -ING1. sidle move obliquely, edge along XVII; back-formation from sideling, sidelong, after vbs. in -LE3.