side

Noun

side (plural sides)

1. A bounding straight edge of a two-dimensional shape.

   A square has four sides.

2. A flat surface of a three-dimensional object; a face.

   A cube has six sides.

3. One half (left or right, top or bottom, front or back, etc.) of something or someone.

   Which side of the tray shall I put it on?  The patient was bleeding on the right side.

   • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 5, in The Celebrity:

     We expressed our readiness, and in ten minutes were in the station wagon, rolling rapidly down the long drive, for it was then after nine. […] As we reached the lodge we heard the whistle, and we backed up against one side of the platform as the train pulled up at the other.

   • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 23, in The Mirror and the Lamp:

     The slightest effort made the patient cough. He would stand leaning on a stick and holding a hand to his side, and when the paroxysm had passed it left him shaking.

4. A region in a specified position with respect to something.

   Meet me on the north side of the monument.

   • 1879, R[ichard] J[efferies], chapter II, in The Amateur Poacher, London: Smith, Elder, & Co., […], OCLC 752825175, page 071:

     Orion hit a rabbit once; but though sore wounded it got to the bury, and, struggling in, the arrow caught the side of the hole and was drawn out. Indeed, a nail filed sharp is not of much avail as an arrowhead; you must have it barbed, and that was a little beyond our skill.

5. The portion of the human torso usually covered by the arms when they are not raised; the areas on the left and right between the belly or chest and the back.

   I generally sleep on my side.

   • 2006, American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, Emergency Care and Transportation of the Sick and Injured (Jones & Bartlett Learning, →ISBN, p. 234:

     Roll the patient onto the left side so that head, shoulders, and torso move at the same time without twisting.

6. One surface of a sheet of paper (used instead of "page", which can mean one or both surfaces.)

   John wrote 15 sides for his essay!

7. One possible aspect of a concept, person or thing.

   Look on the bright side.

8. One set of competitors in a game.

   Which side has kick-off?

9. (Britain, Australia, Ireland) A sports team.
   • 1988, Ken Jones, Soccer skills & tactics, page 9:

     Newly promoted, they were top of the First Division and unbeaten when they took on a Manchester United side that had been revitalized by a new manager, […].

   • 2011 September 28, Jon Smith, “Valencia 1-1 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:

     It was no less than Valencia deserved after dominating possession in the final 20 minutes although Chelsea defended resolutely and restricted the Spanish side to shooting from long range.

   • 2011, Nick Cain, Greg Growden, Rugby Union For Dummies, UK Edition, 3rd Edition, p.220:

     Initially, the English, Welsh, Scots and Irish unions refused to send national sides, preferring instead to send touring sides like the Barbarians, the Penguins, the Co-Optimists, the Wolfhounds, Crawshays Welsh, and the Public School Wanderers.

10. A group having a particular allegiance in a conflict or competition.

    In the second world war, the Italians were on the side of the Germans.

    • Landor

      We have not always been of the […] same side in politics.

    • Alexander Pope

      sets the passions on the side of truth

11. (sports, billiards, snooker, pool) Sidespin; english

    He had to put a bit of side on to hit the pink ball.

12. (Britain, Australia, Ireland, dated) A television channel, usually as opposed to the one currently being watched (from when there were only two channels).

    I just want to see what's on the other side — James said there was a good film on tonight.

13. (US, colloquial) A dish that accompanies the main course; a side dish.

    Do you want a side of cole-slaw with that?

14. A line of descent traced through one parent as distinguished from that traced through another.

    his mother's side of the family

    • Milton

      To sit upon thy father David's throne, / By mother's side thy father.

15. (baseball) The batters faced in an inning by a particular pitcher
    • Clayton Kershaw struck out the side in the 6th inning.
16. (slang, dated) An unjustified air of self-importance.
    • 1930, Frank Richards, The Magnet, Tale-Bearer in Chief

      His manner never had been modest or retiring. Now it was unmistakably swanky; he was putting on side to an extent that made fellows who observed him smile and shrug their shoulders.

Verb

side (third-person singular simple present sides, present participle siding, simple past and past participle sided)

1. (intransitive) To ally oneself, be in an alliance, usually with "with" or rarely "in with"

   Which will you side with, good or evil?

   • 1597, Francis Bacon, Essays – "Of Great Place":

     All rising to great place is by a winding star; and if there be factions, it is good to side a man's self, whilst he is in the rising, and to balance himself when he is placed.

   • Alexander Pope

     All side in parties, and begin the attack.

   • 1958, Archer Fullingim, The Kountze [Texas] News, August 28, 1958:

     How does it feel... to... side in with those who voted against you in 1947?

2. To lean on one side.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Francis Bacon to this entry?)

3. (transitive, obsolete) To be or stand at the side of; to be on the side toward.
   • Spenser

     His blind eye that sided Paridell.

4. (transitive, obsolete) To suit; to pair; to match.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Clarendon to this entry?)

5. (transitive, shipbuilding) To work (a timber or rib) to a certain thickness by trimming the sides.
6. (transitive) To furnish with a siding.

   to side a house

7. (transitive, cooking) To provide with, as a side or accompaniment.
   • 2009 March 14, Corey Mintz, “Stop and cheer chefs' dedication to quality”, in Toronto Star‎:

     A chocolate cakelette, caramel percolating from its warm top, is sided with peanut butter chantilly cream.

Adjective

side (comparative more side, superlative most side)

1. Being on the left or right, or toward the left or right; lateral.
   • Dryden

     One mighty squadron with a side wind sped.

2. Indirect; oblique; incidental.

   a side issue; a side view or remark

   • Hooker

     The law hath no side respect to their persons.

3. (Britain archaic, dialectal, Northern England, Scotland) Wide; large; long, pendulous, hanging low, trailing; far-reaching.
   • c. 1556, Thomas Cranmer, A Confutation of Unwritten Verities, “That the general counsels withoute the worde of god are not sufficiente to make articles of fayth,”

     But when he perceaved that the sayd Pryest could not pourge himself of the foresayd crime he prively payed him his quarters wages before hande and suffered hym to departe without farther tryall of the sayd cryme: and now he jetteth in london wyth side gown and sarcenet typet as good a virgin priest as the best.

   • 1575, Robert Laneham, Robert Laneham’s Letter: Describing a Part of the Entertainment unto Queen Elizabeth at the Castle of Kenelworth in 1575, edited by F. J. Furnivall, London: Chatto & Windus, 1907, “The auncient Minstrell described,” p. 38,

     Hiz gooun had syde sleeuez dooun to midlegge, slit from the shooulder too the hand, & lined with white cotten.

   • 1595, George Peele, The Old Wives’ Tale, The Malone Society Reprints, 1908, lines 47-50,

     What doe we make dost thou aske? why we make faces for feare: such as if thy mortall eyes could behold, would make thee water the long seames of thy side slops […]

   • c. 1598, William Shakespeare, Much Ado about Nothing, Act III, Scene 4,

     By my troth, ’s but a night-gown in respect of yours: cloth o’ gold, and cuts, and laced with silver, set with pearls, down sleeves, side sleeves, and skirts, round underborne with a bluish tinsel […]

4. (Scotland) Far; distant.

Adverb

side (comparative more side, superlative most side)

1. (Britain dialectal) Widely; wide; far.

Inflection

Compounds

• kaelaside

Inflection

Compounds

• otseside

Declension

Synonyms

• (sanitary towel): terveysside
• (ligament): ligamentti

Derived terms

Related terms

• sidos

Related terms

• fleit
• sideyr (“archer”)

Descendants

• Irish sí

Derived terms

Derived terms

Adverb

sīde

1. widely

Noun

sīde f

1. side

Noun

sīde f (nominative plural sīdan)

1. silk