side

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   an extended outer surface of an object

   I turned the box over to examine the bottom side.

2. 2
   noun

   either the left or right half of a body

   After running a few blocks, I had a pain in my side.

3. 3
   noun

   an aspect of something, as contrasted with some other implied aspect

   They were on the heavy side.

4. 4
   noun

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

   there are two sides to every question

5. 5
   noun

   a family line of descent

   They get their brains from their father's side.

6. 6
   noun

   one of two or more contesting groups

   the Confederate side was prepared to attack

7. 7
   noun

   a surface forming part of the outside of an object

   The jeweler examined all sides of the crystal.

8. 8
   noun

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

   the hypotenuse of a right triangle is always the longest side

Etymology

From Middle English side, syde, syd, from Old English sīd (“wide, broad, spacious, ample, extensive, vast, far-reaching”), from Proto-West Germanic *sīd, from Proto-Germanic *sīdaz (“drooping, hanging, low, excessive, extra”), from Proto-Indo-European *sēy- (“to send, throw, drop, sow, deposit”). Cognate with obsolete Dutch zijd (“wide, vast”), Low German sied (“low”), Swedish sid (“long, hanging down”), Icelandic síður (“low hanging, long”).