SIDE, n. [L. latus.]

1. Lateral; as, a side post; but perhaps it would be better to consider the word as compound.
2. Being on the side, or toward the side; oblique; indirect. The law hath no side respect to their persons. – Hooker. One mighty squadron with a side wind sped. – Dryden. So we say, a side view, a side blow. – Bentley. Pope.
3. Long; large; extensive. [Obs.] – Shak.

1. The broad and long part or surface of a thing, as distinguished from the end, which is of less extent and may be a point; as, the side of a plank; the side of a chest; the side off a of a house or of a ship. One side of a lens may be concave, the other convex. Side is distinguished from edge; as, the side of a knife or sword.
2. Margin; edge; verge; border; the exterior line of any considered in length; as, the side of a tract of land or a field, as distinct from the end. Hence we say, the side of a river; the side of a road; the east and west side of the American continent.
3. The part of an animal between the back and the face and belly; the part on which the ribs are situated; as, the right ride; the left side. This in quadrupeds is usually the broadest part.
4. The part between the top and bottom; the slope, declivity, or ascent, as of a hill or mountain; as, the side of Mount Etna.
5. One part of a thing, or its superficies; as, the side of a ball or sphere.
6. Any part considered in respect to its direction or point of compass; as, to whichever side we direct our view. We see difficulties on every side.
7. Party; faction; sect; any man or body of men considered as in opposition to another. One man enlists on the side of the tories; another on the side of the whigs. Some persons change sides for the sake of popularity and office, and sink themselves in public estimation. And sets the passions on the side of truth. – Pope.
8. Interest; favor. The Lord is on my side. – Ps. cxviii.
9. Any part being in opposition or contradistinction to another; used of persons or propositions. In that battle, the slaughter was great on both sides. Passion invites on one side; reason restrains on the other. Open justice bends on neither side. – Dryden.
10. Branch of a family; separate line of descent; as, by the father's side he is descended from a noble family; by the mother's side his birth is respectable.
11. Quarter; region; part; as, from one side of heaven to the other. To take sides, to embrace the opinions or attach one's self to the interest of a party when in opposition to another. To choose sides, to select parties for competition in exercises of any kind.

1. To lean on one side. [Little used.] – Bacon.
2. To embrace the opinions of one party or engage in its interest, when opposed to another party; as, to side with the ministerial party. All side in parties and begin th' attack. – Pope.

1. To stand at the side of. [Not in use.] – Spenser.
2. To suit; to pair. [Not in use.] – Clarendon.

1. The margin, edge, verge, or border of a surface; especially (when the thing spoken of is somewhat oblong in shape), one of the longer edges as distinguished from the shorter edges, called ends; a bounding line of a geometrical figure; as, the side of a field, of a square or triangle, of a river, of a road, etc.
2. Of or pertaining to a side, or the sides; being on the side, or toward the side; lateral.
   
   

   One mighty squadron with a side wind sped. Dryden.

3. To lean on one side.
   
   
   [Obs.] Bacon.
4. To be or stand at the side of; to be on the side toward.
   
   
   [Obs.]

   His blind eye that sided Paridell. Spenser.

5. Any outer portion of a thing considered apart from, and yet in relation to, the rest; as, the upper side of a sphere; also, any part or position viewed as opposite to or contrasted with another; as, this or that side.
   
   

   Looking round on every side beheld
   A pathless desert. Milton.

6. Hence, indirect; oblique; collateral; incidental; as, a side issue; a side view or remark.
   
   

   The law hath no side respect to their persons. Hooker.

7. To embrace the opinions of one party, or engage in its interest, in opposition to another party] to take sides; as, to side with the ministerial party.
   
   

   All side in parties, and begin the attack. Pope.

8. To suit; to pair; to match.
   
   
   [Obs.] Clarendon.
9. One of the halves of the body, of an animals or man, on either side of the mesial plane; or that which pertains to such a half; as, a side of beef; a side of sole leather.
   
   
   (b)
10. To work (a timber or rib) to a certain thickness by trimming the sides.
11. Long; large; extensive.
    
    
    [Obs. or Scot.] Shak.

    His gown had side sleeves down to mid leg. Laneham.

    Side action, in breech-loading firearms, a mechanism for operating the breech block, which is moved by a lever that turns sidewise. -- Side arms, weapons worn at the side, as sword, bayonet, pistols, etc. -- Side ax, an ax of which the handle is bent to one side. -- Side-bar rule (Eng. Law.), a rule authorized by the courts to be granted by their officers as a matter of course, without formal application being made to them in open court; -- so called because anciently moved for by the attorneys at side bar, that is, informally. Burril. -- Side box, a box or inclosed seat on the side of a theater.

    To insure a side-box station at half price. Cowper.

    -- Side chain, one of two safety chains connecting a tender with a locomotive, at the sides. -- Side cut, a canal or road branching out from the main one. [U.S.] -- Side dish, one of the dishes subordinate to the main course. -- Side glance, a glance or brief look to one side. -- Side hook (Carp.), a notched piece of wood for clamping a board to something, as a bench. -- Side lever, a working beam of a side-lever engine. -- Side-lever engine, a marine steam engine having a working beam of each side of the cylinder, near the bottom of the engine, communicating motion to a crank that is above them. -- Side pipe (Steam Engine), a steam or exhaust pipe connecting the upper and lower steam chests of the cylinder of a beam engine. -- Side plane, a plane in which the cutting edge of the iron is at the side of the stock. -- Side posts (Carp.), posts in a truss, usually placed in pairs, each post set at the same distance from the middle of the truss, for supporting the principal rafters, hanging the tiebeam, etc. -- Side rod. (a) One of the rods which connect the piston-rod crosshead with the side levers, in a side-lever engine. (b) See Parallel rod, under Parallel. -- Side screw (Firearms), one of the screws by which the lock is secured to the side of a firearm stock. -- Side table, a table placed either against the wall or aside from the principal table. -- Side tool (Mach.), a cutting tool, used in a lathe or planer, having the cutting edge at the side instead of at the point. -- Side wind, a wind from one side; hence, an indirect attack, or indirect means. Wright.

12. A slope or declivity, as of a hill, considered as opposed to another slope over the ridge.
    
    

    Along the side of yon small hill. Milton.

13. To furnish with a siding; as, to side a house.
14. The position of a person or party regarded as opposed to another person or party, whether as a rival or a foe; a body of advocates or partisans; a party; hence, the interest or cause which one maintains against another; a doctrine or view opposed to another.
    
    

    God on our side, doubt not of victory. Shak.

    We have not always been of the . . . same side in politics. Landor.

    Sets the passions on the side of truth. Pope.

15. A line of descent traced through one parent as distinguished from that traced through another.
    
    

    To sit upon thy father David's throne,
    By mother's side thy father. Milton.

16. Fig.: Aspect or part regarded as contrasted with some other; as, the bright side of poverty.
    
    

    By the side of, close at hand; near to. -- Exterior side. (Fort.) See Exterior, and Illust. of Ravelin. -- Interior side (Fort.), the line drawn from the center of one bastion to that of the next, or the line curtain produced to the two oblique radii in front. H. L. Scott. -- Side by side, close together and abreast; in company or along with. -- To choose sides, to select those who shall compete, as in a game, on either side. -- To take sides, to attach one's self to, or give assistance to, one of two opposing sides or parties.