beside

¹be·side

preposition \bi-ˈsīd, bē-\

Definition of BESIDE

1

a : by the side of <walk beside me>

b : in comparison with

c : on a par with

2

: besides

3

: not relevant to <beside the point>

— beside oneself

: in a state of extreme excitement

Examples of BESIDE

1. She sat beside him during dinner.
2. The man beside her was wearing a brown suit and hat.
3. They were walking beside me.
4. Stand beside the statue and I'll take your picture.
5. Their house is beside a small lake.
6. These problems seem unimportant beside the potential benefits of the new system.

Origin of BESIDE

Middle English, adverb & preposition, from Old English be sīdan at or to the side, from be at (from bī) + sīdan, dative & accusative of sīde side — more at by

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to BESIDE

Synonyms

as well as, besides, beyond, over and above

Related Words

plus; including

Near Antonyms

except (also excepting); less, minus, wanting

Rhymes with BESIDE

abide, allied, applied, aside, astride, backside, backslide, bankside, beachside, bedside, bestride, betide, blear-eyed, blindside, blow-dried, blue-eyed, broadside, bromide, bug-eyed, Burnside, clear-eyed, cockeyed, cold-eyed, collide, confide, courtside, cowhide, cross-eyed, curbside, dayside, decide, deride, divide, dockside, doe-eyed, downside, downslide, dry-eyed, ebb tide, elide, field guide, fireside, flip side, flood tide, fluoride, foreside, four-eyed, free ride, freeze-dried, Girl Guide, glass-eyed, graveside, green-eyed, hagride, hang glide, hard-eyed, hawkeyed, hayride, high tide, hillside, horsehide, inside, in stride, ironside, joyride, kingside, lakeside, landslide, low tide, lynx-eyed, misguide, moon-eyed, neap tide, nearside, nightside, noontide, offside, onside, outride, outside, pie-eyed, poolside, pop-eyed, preside, prompt side, provide, quayside, queenside, rawhide, red tide, reside, ringside, riptide, roadside, seaside, self-pride, sharp-eyed, shipside, shoreside, Shrovetide, sloe-eyed, snowslide, springtide, squint-eyed, stateside, statewide, storewide, Strathclyde, streamside, strong side, subside, tailslide, tongue-tied, topside, trackside, trailside, untried, upside, vat-dyed, walleyed, war bride, waveguide, wayside, wide-eyed, wild-eyed, worldwide, yuletide

²beside

adverb

Definition of BESIDE

1

archaic : nearby

2

archaic : besides

First Known Use of BESIDE

14th century