side

¹ American  

[sahyd] / saɪd /

noun

• sides
  plural

1. one of the surfaces forming the outside of or bounding a thing, or one of the lines bounding a geometric figure.

   Each side of the garden is two meters long.

2. either of the two broad surfaces of a thin, flat object, as a door, a piece of paper, etc..

   Be sure to check that both sides of your test paper are filled out before you turn it in.

3. one of the lateral surfaces of an object, as opposed to the front, back, top, and bottom.

   My shopping cart got away from me, and now there's a big scratch on the side of that car.

4. either of the two lateral parts or areas of a thing.

   Your heart is divided into two separate pumping systems, the right side and the left side.

5. either lateral half of the body, especially of the trunk, of a human or animal.

   I've got a stitch in my side.

6. the dressed, lengthwise half of an animal's body, as of beef or pork, used for food.

   The restaurant buys their sides of lamb from a local butcher.

7. an aspect or phase, especially as contrasted with another aspect or phase.

   We haven't had time to consider all sides of the problem.

8. region, direction, or position with reference to a central line, space, or point.

   The best coffee shops are all on the east side of the city.

9. a slope, as of a hill.

   We hiked about halfway up the side of the mountain.

10. one of two or more contesting teams, groups, parties, etc..

    Our side won the baseball game.

11. the position, course, or part of a person or group opposing another.

    I am on your side in this issue.

12. line of descent through either the father or the mother.

    grandparents on one's maternal side.

13. the space immediately adjacent to something or someone indicated.

    Stand at my side.

14. Informal. a side dish, as in a restaurant.

    I'll have a burger and a side of French fries.

15. Theater. Usually sides

    1. pages of a script containing only the lines and cues of a specific role to be learned by a performer.

    2. the lines of the role.

16. Nautical. the hull portion that is normally out of the water, located between the stem and stern to port or starboard.

17. Slang. a person, usually a gay man, who does not have or does not prioritize penetrative sex.

18. Billiards. English.

19. 1. either of the two surfaces of a phonograph record, or the audio recorded on it.

    2. either of two audio tracks or pairs of audio tracks on a length of magnetic tape.

       We played Side A of their greatest hits until Mom threatened to burn the cassette tape.

20. Chiefly British Slang.

    1. affected manner; pretension; assumed haughtiness.

       to put on side.

    2. impudence; gall.

       He has a lot of side.

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adjective

1. being at or on one side.

   The usher wound his way down the side aisle of the theater.

2. coming from or directed toward one side.

   Although it was a side blow, it knocked her off her feet.

3. subordinate or incidental.

   It's time we stop treating childcare as a side issue.

   Synonyms:

   lesser, minor

verb phrase

1. side with / against to favor or support or refuse to support one group, opinion, etc., against opposition; take sides, as in a dispute.

   He always sides with the underdog.

idioms

1. on the adjective side, rather more than less; tending toward (the quality or condition specified).

   This cake is a little on the sweet side.

2. side by side,

   1. next to one another; together.

   2. closely associated or related; in proximity.

      It is now a divided city in which democracy and communism must live side by side.

3. the far side, the farther or opposite side.

   the far side of the moon.

4. on the side,

   1. separate from the main issue or point of interest.

   2. in addition to one's regular or known work, interest, relationships, etc..

      She tried selling cosmetics on the side. He dates another girl on the side.

   3. as a side dish.

      a hamburger with French fries on the side.

5. take sides, to give one's support to one person or group in a dispute; be partial to one side.

   We were careful not to take sides for fear of getting personally involved.

side ² American  

[sahyd] / saɪd /

adjective

Scot. and North England.

1. (especially of a woman's dress or a man's beard) long and loose-flowing.

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side British  

/ saɪd /

noun

1. a line or surface that borders anything

2. geometry

   1. any line segment forming part of the perimeter of a plane geometric figure

   2. another name for face

3. either of two parts into which an object, surface, area, etc, can be divided, esp by a line, median, space, etc

   the right side and the left side

4. either of the two surfaces of a flat object

   the right and wrong side of the cloth

5. a surface or part of an object that extends vertically

   the side of a cliff

6. either half of a human or animal body, esp the area around the waist, as divided by the median plane

   I have a pain in my side

7. the area immediately next to a person or thing

   he stood at her side

8. a district, point, or direction within an area identified by reference to a central point

   the south side of the city

9. the area at the edge of a room, road, etc, as distinguished from the middle

10. aspect or part

    look on the bright side

    his cruel side

11. one of two or more contesting factions, teams, etc

12. a page in an essay, book, etc

13. a position, opinion, etc, held in opposition to another in a dispute

14. line of descent

    he gets his brains from his mother's side

15. informal a television channel

16. US and Canadian equivalent: English.  billiards snooker spin imparted to a ball by striking it off-centre with the cue

17. slang insolence, arrogance, or pretentiousness

    to put on side

18. set apart from the rest, as provision for emergencies, etc, or to avoid muddling

19. tending to be too heavy

20. 1. apart from or in addition to the main object

    2. as a sideline

    3. as a side dish

    4. See bit 1

21. 1. close together

    2. (foll by with) beside or near to

22. to support one group, opinion, etc, as against another

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adjective

1. being on one side; lateral

2. from or viewed as if from one side

3. directed towards one side

4. not main; subordinate or incidental

   side door

   side road

verb

1. to support or associate oneself with a faction, interest, etc

2. (tr) to provide with siding or sides

3. dialect (tr; often foll by away or up) to tidy up or clear (dishes, a table, etc)

side More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing side

• blind spot (side)
• bright side
• can't hit the broad side of a barn
• choose up (sides)
• get on someone's good side
• get up on the wrong side of bed
• in good with (on someone's good side)
• know which side of bread is buttered
• laugh out of the other side of one's mouth
• let someone (the side) down
• on someone's side
• on the safe side
• on the side
• on the side of the angels
• other side of the coin
• right side of the tracks
• right-side out
• right-side up
• seamy side
• split one's sides
• sunny-side up
• take aside (to one side)
• take sides
• this side of
• thorn in one's flesh (side)
• work both sides of the street
• wrong side of

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sideless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sides
  plural

Etymology

Origin of side¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun sid(e), siede, Old English sīde; cognate with Dutch zijde, German Seite, Old Norse sītha

Origin of side²

First recorded before 900; Middle English sid(e) “long, stretched, broad,” Old English sīd “wide, broad, ample, extending lengthwise”; cognate with Old Norse sīthr “long, hanging down,” Low German sied “low”

Explanation

A side is a physical position to the left or the right of an object or person. It’s also another kind of position—like if you take your brother’s side in an argument, you say he’s right. Even if he’s not. There are physical sides, such as when Clark Kent parts his hair on the right side and Superman parts his on the left. There are also figurative sides, which you could also call positions or opinions. When your friends take your side in an argument, they agree with you, and when you have to debate both sides of an issue, it can help you understand another person's perspective.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

side sides

They are the only side in England's top four divisions with a 100% winning record intact, going three points clear at the top of the Premier League.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

Another botched opportunity: Trailing by a field goal late in the third quarter, the Chargers had a third-and-inches on their side of the field.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026

Carrick's side are far more balanced when he is there.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

For all the talk of a front three who all cost in excess of £100m, Liverpool are becoming a harder side to beat under Iraola.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

The clergyman sat opposite him, with the Duke on one side and the Duchess on the other.

From "Adventures of Don Quixote" by Argentina Palacios

Tens of thousands of people walk in and out of Dodger Stadium on any given night, paying scant attention to the trees, plants, and other foliage surrounding it on all sides.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026

Although not as impressive overall as other 2-0 sides, that ability to win games at the death is a familiar trait with Philly - and will make them dangerous all season again.

From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026

Earl Spencer said he did not take sides - as he perceives is the "perception in the media" - in the dispute between Princes William and Harry.

From BBC ● Sep. 20, 2026

If the summit is merely calm and forgettable, and both sides depart, relieved about maintaining the status quo, then something did shift.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026

They lined both sides of the street and were jammed up so close together it looked like you couldn’t have driven a nail between them.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Related Words

• border
• bottom
• face
• front
• hand
• part
• rear
• sector
• surface
• top
• view