SIDE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does side mean? 

• SIDE (noun)
  The noun SIDE has 12 senses:

1. a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

2. one of two or more contesting groups

3. either the left or right half of a body

4. a surface forming part of the outside of an object

5. an extended outer surface of an object

6. an aspect of something (as contrasted with some other implied aspect)

7. a line segment forming part of the perimeter of a plane figure

8. a family line of descent

9. a lengthwise dressed half of an animal's carcass used for food

10. an opinion that is held in opposition to another in an argument or dispute

11. an elevated geological formation

12. (sports) the spin given to a ball by striking it on one side or releasing it with a sharp twist

  Familiarity information: SIDE used as a noun is familiar.

• SIDE (adjective)
  The adjective SIDE has 1 sense:

1. located on a side

  Familiarity information: SIDE used as an adjective is very rare.

• SIDE (verb)
  The verb SIDE has 1 sense:

1. take sides for or against

  Familiarity information: SIDE used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SIDE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Context example:

he never left my side

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

part; region (the extended spatial location of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "side"):

north side (the side that is on the north)

west side (the side that is on the west)

south side (the side that is on the south)

shipside (the part of a wharf that is next to a ship)

hand (a position given by its location to the side of an object)

east side (the side that is on the east)

dockside (the region adjacent to a boat dock)

blind side (the side on which your vision is limited or obstructed)

bedside (space by the side of a bed (especially the bed of a sick or dying person))

Sense 2

Meaning:

One of two or more contesting groups

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

the Confederate side was prepared to attack

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

social unit; unit (an organization regarded as part of a larger social group)

Domain category:

game (a contest with rules to determine a winner)

war; warfare (the waging of armed conflict against an enemy)

government; political science; politics (the study of government of states and other political units)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Either the left or right half of a body

Classified under:

Nouns denoting body parts

Context example:

he had a pain in his side

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

area; region (a part of an animal that has a special function or is supplied by a given artery or nerve)

Domain category:

animal; animate being; beast; brute; creature; fauna (a living organism characterized by voluntary movement)

homo; human; human being; man (any living or extinct member of the family Hominidae characterized by superior intelligence, articulate speech, and erect carriage)

Holonyms ("side" is a part of...):

body; torso; trunk (the body excluding the head and neck and limbs)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A surface forming part of the outside of an object

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Synonyms:

face; side

Context example:

they travelled across the face of the continent

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

surface (the extended two-dimensional outer boundary of a three-dimensional object)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "side"):

top; top side; upper side; upside (the highest or uppermost side of anything)

back end; backside; rear (the side of an object that is opposite its front)

windward (the side of something that is toward the wind)

forepart; front; front end (the side that is forward or prominent)

bottom; underside; undersurface (the lower side of anything)

beam-ends ((nautical) at the ends of the transverse deck beams of a vessel)

lee; lee side; leeward (the side of something that is sheltered from the wind)

Sense 5

Meaning:

An extended outer surface of an object

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Context example:

they painted all four sides of the house

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

surface (the outer boundary of an artifact or a material layer constituting or resembling such a boundary)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "side"):

broadside (the whole side of a vessel from stem to stern)

beam (the broad side of a ship)

upper surface (the side that is uppermost)

starboard (the right side of a ship or aircraft to someone who is aboard and facing the bow or nose)

soffit (the underside of a part of a building (such as an arch or overhang or beam etc.))

sidewall (the side of an automobile tire)

reverse; verso (the side of a coin or medal that does not bear the principal design)

back; rear (the side that goes last or is not normally seen)

obverse (the side of a coin or medal bearing the principal stamp or design)

nearside (the side of a vehicle nearest the kerb)

larboard; port (the left side of a ship or aircraft to someone who is aboard and facing the bow or nose)

front (the side that is seen or that goes first)

edge (a sharp side formed by the intersection of two surfaces of an object)

Sense 6

Meaning:

An aspect of something (as contrasted with some other implied aspect)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

it brought out his better side

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

aspect; facet (a distinct feature or element in a problem)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "side"):

downside (a negative aspect of something that is generally positive)

hand (one of two sides of an issue)

Sense 7

Meaning:

A line segment forming part of the perimeter of a plane figure

Classified under:

Nouns denoting spatial position

Context example:

the hypotenuse of a right triangle is always the longest side

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

line (a spatial location defined by a real or imaginary unidimensional extent)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A family line of descent

Classified under:

Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects

Context example:

he gets his brains from his father's side

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

ancestry; blood; blood line; bloodline; descent; line; line of descent; lineage; origin; parentage; pedigree; stemma; stock (the descendants of one individual)

Sense 9

Meaning:

A lengthwise dressed half of an animal's carcass used for food

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

side; side of meat

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

cut; cut of meat (a piece of meat that has been cut from an animal carcass)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "side"):

side of beef (dressed half of a beef carcass)

side of pork (dressed half of a hog carcass)

Sense 10

Meaning:

An opinion that is held in opposition to another in an argument or dispute

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

position; side

Context example:

there are two sides to every question

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

opinion; view (a message expressing a belief about something; the expression of a belief that is held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof)

Sense 11

Meaning:

An elevated geological formation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made)

Synonyms:

incline; side; slope

Context example:

the house was built on the side of a mountain

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

formation; geological formation ((geology) the geological features of the earth)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "side"):

acclivity; ascent; climb; raise; rise; upgrade (an upward slope or grade (as in a road))

ski slope (a snow-covered slope for skiing)

piedmont (a gentle slope leading from the base of a mountain to a region of flat land)

mountainside; versant (the side or slope of a mountain)

hillside (the side or slope of a hill)

escarpment; scarp (a long steep slope or cliff at the edge of a plateau or ridge; usually formed by erosion)

declension; declination; decline; declivity; descent; downslope; fall (a downward slope or bend)

coast (a slope down which sleds may coast)

canyonside (the steeply sloping side of a canyon)

bank; camber; cant (a slope in the turn of a road or track; the outside is higher than the inside in order to reduce the effects of centrifugal force)

bank (sloping land (especially the slope beside a body of water))

Holonyms ("side" is a part of...):

elevation; natural elevation (a raised or elevated geological formation)

Sense 12

Meaning:

(sports) the spin given to a ball by striking it on one side or releasing it with a sharp twist

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

English; side

Hypernyms ("side" is a kind of...):

spin (a swift whirling motion (usually of a missile))

Domain category:

athletics; sport (an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition)

• SIDE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Located on a side

Context example:

the side porch

Similar:

broadside (toward a full side)

lateral; sidelong (situated at or extending to the side)

Antonym:

bottom (situated at the bottom or lowest position)

top (situated at the top or highest position)

• SIDE (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take sides for or against

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Context example:

I'm siding against the current candidate

Hypernyms (to "side" is one way to...):

align; array (align oneself with a group or a way of thinking)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "side"):

pull; root for (take sides with; align oneself with; show strong sympathy for)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

 Context examples 

He lay for some time, without movement, on his side.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

The difference between the hot and cold sides would need to be more extreme if there were no atmosphere.

(Lava or Not, Exoplanet 55 Cancri e Likely to have Atmosphere, NASA)

Dark spruce forest frowned on either side the frozen waterway.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

With a quick movement Holmes pushed the fellow to one side and passed into the hall.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I should think my aunt Norris would be on your side.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Lo and behold, first thing out of the gate on the other side, we make another fundamental discovery.

(NASA's Juno Navigators Enable Jupiter Cyclone Discovery, NASA)

He almost fell backward, and swayed from side to side in an effort to recover his balance.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

“I have sometimes thought,” said Catherine, doubtingly, “whether ladies do write so much better letters than gentlemen! That is—I should not think the superiority was always on our side.”

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)

Unlike every other planet in the solar system, Uranus is tipped over almost onto its side.

(Hubble Reveals Dynamic Atmospheres of Uranus, Neptune, NASA)

So he walked for a short time by the side of Little Red-Cap, and then he said: See, Little Red-Cap, how pretty the flowers are about here—why do you not look round?

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)