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outside

[noun out-sahyd, -sahyd; adjective out-sahyd, out-; adverb out-sahyd; preposition out-sahyd, out-sahyd] /noun ˈaʊtˈsaɪd, -ˌsaɪd; adjective ˌaʊtˈsaɪd, ˈaʊt-; adverb ˌaʊtˈsaɪd; preposition ˌaʊtˈsaɪd, ˈaʊtˌsaɪd/
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
noun
1.
the outer side, surface, or part; exterior:
The outside of the house needs painting.
2.
the external aspect or appearance.
3.
the space without or beyond an enclosure, institution, boundary, etc.:
a prisoner about to resume life on the outside.
4.
a position away or farther away from the inside or center:
The horse on the outside finished second.
5.
an outside passenger or place on a coach or other vehicle.
6.
Northern Canada and Alaska. (sometimes initial capital letter) the settled or more populous part of Canada or the U.S.
adjective
7.
being, acting, done, or originating beyond an enclosure, boundary, etc.:
outside noises; news from the outside world.
8.
situated on or pertaining to the outside; exterior; external:
an outside television antenna.
9.
situated away from the inside or center; farther or farthest away from the inside or center:
the outside lane.
10.
not belonging to or connected with a specified institution, society, etc.:
outside influences; outside help.
11.
extremely unlikely or remote:
an outside chance for recovery.
12.
extreme or maximum:
an outside estimate.
13.
being in addition to one's regular work or duties:
an outside job.
14.
working on or assigned to the outside, as of a place or organization:
an outside man to care for the grounds.
15.
Baseball. (of a pitched ball) passing, but not going over, home plate on the side opposite the batter:
The fastball was high and outside.
adverb
16.
on or to the outside, exterior, or space without:
Take the dog outside.
17.
in or to an area that is removed from or beyond a given place or region:
The country's inhabitants seldom travel outside.
preposition
18.
on or toward the outside of:
There was a noise outside the door.
19.
beyond the confines or borders of:
visitors from outside the country.
20.
with the exception of; aside from:
She has no interests outside her work.
Idioms
21.
at the outside, at the utmost limit; at the maximum:
There weren't more than ten at the outside.
22.
outside of, other than; exclusive of; excepting:
Outside of us, no one else came to the party.
Origin of outside
1495-1505
First recorded in 1495-1505; out- + side1
Synonyms
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
11. faint, distant, slight.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2017.
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Examples from the Web for outside
Contemporary Examples
Historical Examples

  • "But it's true all the same," he went on when they got outside, almost as if he had not broken his speech.

    Changing Winds St. John G. Ervine

  • The weather was delightful after we got outside of the harbor of St. Augustine.

    Up the River Oliver Optic

  • There was nothing but tobacco and pipe in the outside pockets of his coat.

    The Night Riders Ridgwell Cullum

  • The outside of the log was nothing but punk, or the operation would have been a failure.

    Four Young Explorers Oliver Optic

  • "Uh-huh," says I, pokin' in some frostin' that had lodged on the outside.

    Torchy Sewell Ford
British Dictionary definitions for outside

outside

preposition (ˌaʊtˈsaɪd)
1.
(sometimes foll by of) on or to the exterior of: outside the house
2.
beyond the limits of: outside human comprehension
3.
apart from; other than: no-one knows outside you and me
adjective (ˈaʊtˌsaɪd)
4.
(prenominal) situated on the exterior: an outside lavatory
5.
remote; unlikely: an outside chance
6.
not a member of
7.
the greatest possible or probable (prices, odds, etc)
8.
(of a road lane, esp in a dual carriageway or motorway) situated nearer or nearest to the central reservation, for use by faster or overtaking vehicles
adverb (ˌaʊtˈsaɪd)
9.
outside a specified thing or place; out of doors
10.
(slang) not in prison
noun (ˈaʊtˈsaɪd)
11.
the external side or surface: the outside of the garage
12.
the external appearance or aspect
13.
the exterior or outer part of something
14.
(of a path, pavement, etc) the side nearest the road or away from a wall or building
15.
(sport) an outside player, as in football
16.
(pl) the outer sheets of a ream of paper
17.
(Canadian) (in the north) the settled parts of Canada
18.
(informal) at the outside, at the most or at the greatest extent: two days at the outside
19.
outside in, another term for inside out See inside (sense 5)
Usage note
The use of outside of and inside of, although fairly common, is generally thought to be incorrect or non-standard: she waits outside (not outside of) the school
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word Origin and History for outside
n.

c.1500, "outer side," from out + side (n.). The adjective is attested from 1630s; the preposition from 1826; the adverb from 1813. Phrase outside of "with exception of" is from 1859.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang definitions & phrases for outside

outside

Related Terms

get outside of

The Dictionary of American Slang, Fourth Edition by Barbara Ann Kipfer, PhD. and Robert L. Chapman, Ph.D.
Copyright (C) 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers.
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Idioms and Phrases with outside

outside

In addition to the idiom beginning with outside also see: at most (the outside)
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Word Value for outside

8
9
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