broadside

[ brawd-sahyd ]
See synonyms for: broadsidebroadsides on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. the whole side of a ship above the water line, from the bow to the quarter.

  2. Navy.

    • all the guns that can be fired from one side of a warship.

    • a simultaneous discharge of all the guns on one side of a warship.

  1. any strong or comprehensive attack, as by criticism.

  2. Also called broadsheet.

    • a sheet of paper printed on one or both sides, as for distribution or posting.

    • any printed advertising circular.

  3. any broad surface or side, as of a house.

  4. Also called broad·side bal·lad [brawd-sahyd bal-uhd] /ˈbrɔdˌsaɪd ˌbæl əd/ . a song, chiefly in 16th- and 17th-century England, written on a topical subject, printed on broadsides, and sung in public, as on a street corner, by a professional balladeer.

adverb
  1. with the side, especially with the broader side, facing toward a given point or object: The truck hit the fence broadside.

  2. in a wide-ranging manner; at random: to attack the president's policies broadside.

verb (used without object),broad·sid·ed, broad·sid·ing.
  1. to proceed or go broadside.

  2. to fire a broadside or broadsides.

verb (used with object),broad·sid·ed, broad·sid·ing.
  1. to collide with or run into the side of (a vehicle, object, person, etc.): We got broadsided on the freeway.

  2. to make concerted verbal attacks on: The president was broadsided by the opposition.

Origin of broadside

1
First recorded in 1565–75; broad + side1

Words Nearby broadside

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use broadside in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for broadside

broadside

/ (ˈbrɔːdˌsaɪd) /


noun
  1. nautical the entire side of a vessel, from stem to stern and from waterline to rail

  2. navy

    • all the armament fired from one side of a warship

    • the simultaneous discharge of such armament

  1. a strong or abusive verbal or written attack

  2. Also called: broadside ballad a ballad or popular song printed on one side of a sheet of paper and sold by hawkers, esp in 16th-century England

  3. any standard size of paper before cutting or folding: demy broadside

  4. another name for broadsheet (def. 1)

  5. a large flat surface: the broadside of the barn

adverb
  1. with a broader side facing an object; sideways: the train hit the lorry broadside

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012