laterally

[lat-er-uh-lee]

adverb

1. from side to side; along a plane.

   You can force plants to grow wide and bushy by training the growth tips to grow laterally rather than cutting off the tops of the shoots.

2. in a way that involves a broadly equivalent position, office, etc..

   She worked as a nurse for many years and then, moving laterally, was employed as an area supervisor in the social work field.

Word History and Origins

Origin of laterally¹

lateral ( def. ) + -ly

Example Sentences

His only possible path was to back his truck along the driveway’s edge, angle the boom under the Camry and move it laterally so he could tow it away.

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One of his conclusions was that throwing the ball "laterally or backwards can increase throw-in success rates in comparison to throwing the ball forwards", and the "higher-ranked teams utilised this strategy more often".

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Unlike universal injunctions, which are top-down blocks, collateral estoppel works laterally — one court at a time, but each building on the last.

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“That’s when I realized being long, athletic and having quickness to move my feet laterally and just being able to stay in front of guys is just a big part of it for me.”

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As much as the major wildfires were spreading seaward — as is typical during Santa Anas — the blazes were growing laterally, he said.

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Related Words

• sideward 
• to the side www.thesaurus.com