sideline

[sahyd-lahyn]

noun

1. a line at the side of something.

2. a business or activity pursued in addition to one's primary business; a second occupation.

3. an additional or auxiliary line of goods.

   a grocery store with a sideline of household furnishings.

4. Sports.

   1. either of the two lines defining the side boundaries of a field or court.

   2. sidelines, the area immediately beyond either sideline, where the substitute players sit.

5. sidelines, the position or point of view taken by a person who observes an activity or situation but does not directly participate in it.

verb (used with object)

sidelined, sidelining 

1. to render incapable of participation, especially in anything involving vigorous, physical action, as a sport.

   An injury to his throwing arm sidelined the quarterback for two weeks.

sideline

/ ˈsaɪdˌlaɪn /

noun

1. sport a line that marks the side boundary of a playing area

2. a subsidiary interest or source of income

3. an auxiliary business activity or line of merchandise

verb

1. to prevent (a player) from taking part in a game

2. to prevent (a person) from pursuing a particular activity, operation, career, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of sideline¹

An Americanism dating back to 1685–95; side ¹ + line ¹

Example Sentences

Just when it seemed like things couldn’t get worse for the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, star quarterback Lamar Jackson tossed his helmet in frustration on the sideline.

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Open title began somewhere on the sidelines of Centre Court, back at the All England Club in July.

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I was traveling for another story, but enough readers have emailed me that I figure it’s time to bravely hop off the sidelines and weigh in with an extremely controversial opinion.

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When schools closed, parents I knew casually on the sidelines were the ones who fielded my middle-of-the-night panic texts.

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Pentagon strategists, constrained by American laws and policies limiting security assistance to military governments, hope to sideline the Russians and get back into the West African security business.

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