Dictionary
Thesaurus
Encyclopedia
Translator
Web
Related Searches
Synonyms
Nearby Words

beside

 - 3 dictionary results

be⋅side

  [bi-sahyd]
Use beside in a Sentence
–preposition
1. by or at the side of; near: Sit down beside me.
2. compared with: Beside him other writers seem amateurish.
3. apart from; not connected with: beside the point; beside the question.
4. besides (defs. 4, 5).
–adverb
5. along the side of something: The family rode in the carriage, and the dog ran along beside.
6. besides (def. 2).
—Idiom
7. beside oneself, almost out of one's senses from a strong emotion, as from joy, delight, anger, fear, or grief: He was beside himself with rage when the train left without him.
Origin:
bef. 1000; ME; earlier bi-siden, OE bī sīdan, be sīdan; see be-, side

Usage note:
For the prepositional meanings “over and above, in addition to” and “except” besides is preferred, especially in edited writing: Besides these honors he received a sum of money. We heard no other sound besides the breaking surf. However, beside sometimes occurs with these meanings as well.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To beside
be·side   (bĭ-sīd')   
prep.  

  1. At the side of; next to.

    1. In comparison with: a proposal that seems quite reasonable beside the others.

    2. On an equal footing with: has earned a place beside the best performers in the business.

  3. In addition to: "Many creatures beside man live in communities" (Stuart Chase). See Usage Note at besides.

  4. Except for. See Usage Note at besides.

  5. Not relevant to: a remark that was beside the point.

adv.   Archaic

  1. In addition.

  2. Nearby.


[Middle English biside, from Old English be sīdan : be, by; see by1 + sīde, side.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

beside 
O.E. be sidan "by the side of" (only as two words), from sidan dative of side (q.v.). By 1200, formed as one word and used as both adv. and prep. Also, after 1200, besides, with adverbial gen. -s (usually in the senses of "in addition" and "otherwise"). The alternate M.E. meaning "outside" led to the sense preserved in beside oneself "out of one's wits" (1490).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Search another word or see beside on Thesaurus | Reference
FacebookTwitterFollow us:
Partner Sites:
Ask AnswersEviteExpediaHotelsHotwireLife123LiveDailyMy Way