Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner's English Dictionary - side

(sides, siding, sided) Frequency: The word is one of the 700 most common words in English. 1. The side of something is a position to the left or right of it, rather than in front of it, behind it, or on it. On one side of the main entrance there’s a red plaque. ...a photograph with me in the centre and Joe and Ken on each side of me. ...the nations on either side of the Pacific... There’s nothing but woods on the other side of the highway... There has been a build-up of troops on both sides of the border... PC Dacre knocked on Webb’s door and, opening it, stood to one side. N-COUNT: usu prep N of n 2. The side of an object, building, or vehicle is any of its flat surfaces which is not considered to be its front, its back, its top, or its bottom. We put a notice on the side of the box. ...a van bearing on its side the name of a company... There was a stone staircase against the side of the house... A carton of milk lay on its side. N-COUNT: usu with poss 3. The sides of a hollow or a container are its inside vertical surfaces. The rough rock walls were like the sides of a deep canal... Line the base of the dish with greaseproof paper and lightly grease the sides. N-COUNT 4. The sides of an area or surface are its edges. Park on the side of the road. ...a small beach on the north side of the peninsula... = edge N-COUNT: usu prep N of n 5. The two sides of an area, surface, or object are its two halves. She turned over on her stomach on the other side of the bed... The major centre for language is in the left side of the brain. = half N-COUNT: usu prep N of n 6. The two sides of a road are its two halves on which traffic travels in opposite directions. It had gone on to the wrong side of the road and hit a car coming in the other direction. N-COUNT 7. If you talk about the other side of a town or of the world, you mean a part of the town or of the world that is very far from where you are. He saw the ship that was to transport them to the other side of the world... Are you working on this side of the city? N-COUNT: with supp 8. Your sides are the parts of your body between your front and your back, from under your arms to your hips. His arms were limp at his sides... They had laid him on his side. N-COUNT: usu poss N 9. If someone is by your side or at your side, they stay near you and give you comfort or support. He was constantly at his wife’s side... N-COUNT: usu sing, by/at poss N 10. The two sides of something flat, for example a piece of paper, are its two flat surfaces. You can also refer to one side of a piece of paper filled with writing as one side of writing. The new copiers only copy onto one side of the paper... Fry the chops until brown on both sides... N-COUNT 11. One side of a tape or record is what you can hear or record if you play the tape or record from beginning to end without turning it over. We want to hear side A... N-COUNT 12. Side is used to describe things that are not the main or most important ones of their kind. She slipped in and out of the theatre by a side door. ...a prawn curry with a lentil side dish. ? main ADJ: ADJ n 13. The different sides in a war, argument, or negotiation are the groups of people who are opposing each other. Both sides appealed for a new ceasefire... ...the elections which his side lost... N-COUNT: usu with supp 14. The different sides of an argument or deal are the different points of view or positions involved in it. ...those with the ability to see all sides of a question... N-COUNT: usu N of n 15. If one person or country sides with another, they support them in an argument or a war. If people or countries side against another person or country, they support each other against them. There has been much speculation that America might be siding with the rebels... VERB: V with/against n 16. In sport, a side is a team. (BRIT; in AM, use team) Italy were definitely a better side than Germany... = team N-COUNT: usu with supp 17. A particular side of something such as a situation or someone’s character is one aspect of it. He is in charge of the civilian side of the UN mission... It shows that your child can now see the funny side of things... N-COUNT: usu supp N 18. The mother’s side and the father’s side of your family are your mother’s relatives and your father’s relatives. So was your father’s side more well off? N-COUNT: usu supp N 19. see also -sided, siding 20. If two people or things are side by side, they are next to each other. We sat side by side on two wicker seats... PHRASE: usu PHR after v 21. If people work or live side by side, they work or live closely together in a friendly way. ...areas where different nationalities have lived side by side for centuries... PHRASE: usu PHR after v 22. If you say that someone has let the side down, you mean that they have embarrassed their family or friends by behaving badly or not doing well at something. (BRIT) Brown was constantly letting the side down. PHRASE: V inflects 23. If something moves from side to side, it moves repeatedly to the left and to the right. She was shaking her head from side to side. PHRASE: PHR after v 24. If you are on someone’s side, you are supporting them in an argument or a war. He has the Democrats on his side... Some of the younger people seem to be on the side of reform. PHRASE: PHR after v 25. If something is on your side or if you have it on your side, it helps you when you are trying to achieve something. The law is not on their side. PHRASE: PHR after v, v-link PHR 26. If you get on the wrong side of someone, you do something to annoy them and make them dislike you. If you stay on the right side of someone, you try to please them and avoid annoying them. I wouldn’t like to get on the wrong side of him... PHRASE: usu PHR after v 27. If you say that something is on the small side, you are saying politely that you think it is slightly too small. If you say that someone is on the young side, you are saying politely that you think they are slightly too young. He’s quiet and a bit on the shy side. PHRASE: usu v-link PHR c darkgreen]politeness 28. If someone does something on the side, they do it in addition to their main work. ...ways of making a little bit of money on the side. PHRASE: usu PHR after v 29. If you put something to one side or put it on one side, you temporarily ignore it in order to concentrate on something else. In order to maintain profit margins health and safety regulations are often put to one side. PHRASE: V inflects 30. If you take someone to one side or draw them to one side, you speak to them privately, usually in order to give them advice or a warning. He took Sabrina to one side and told her about the safe. PHRASE: V inflects 31. If you take sides or take someone’s side in an argument or war, you support one of the sides against the other. We cannot take sides in a civil war... PHRASE: V inflects 32. to look on the bright side: see bright the other side of the coin: see coin to err on the side of something: see err to be on the safe side: see safe someone’s side of the story: see story