sideswipe

American  

[sahyd-swahyp] / ˈsaɪdˌswaɪp /

verb (used with object)

sideswiped, sideswiping

1. to scrape or hit with a sweeping stroke along the side.

   That car must’ve sideswiped mine when it backed out of the parking space.

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noun

1. a sweeping stroke or scrape along the side.

   We can fix that sideswipe and repaint the car door for a reasonable price.

   By checking your mirror before changing lanes, you can avoid sideswipes.

sideswipe British  

/ ˈsaɪdˌswaɪp /

noun

1. a glancing blow or hit along or from the side

2. an unexpected criticism of someone or something while discussing another subject

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verb

1. to strike (someone) with such a blow

Other Word Forms

• sideswiper
  noun

Etymology

Origin of sideswipe

An Americanism first recorded in 1900–05; side ¹ + swipe

Example Sentences

That's because some of the non-colliding positively charged protons are set swirling as the nuclei sideswipe one another at close to the speed of light.

From Science Daily • May 17, 2024

On top of that, monthly economic readings are likely to be sideswipe from months by a distortion to industrial and payroll stats from labor strikes at the big U.S. automakers.

From Reuters • Sep. 18, 2023

It’s like a game of chicken where two cars are headed toward each other, but a third car is coming in from the side trying to sideswipe one of them to prevent the collision.

From Slate • Aug. 8, 2019

I couldn’t place it at first, the slow-swiveling sideswipe of their gazes, the way they’ll dip their heads below their own bodies and then crane smoothly upward, like a movie camera pulling focus.

From New York Times • Jan. 28, 2016

Commercial carrier reports near miss sideswipe three minutes ago in blue lane approximately three miles west of mile Marker 957.

From Code Three by Raphael, Rick

Related Words

• bang
• break up
• bump
• crash
• hit
• shatter
• smash
• strike