asides
|a-side|
/əˈsaɪd/
(aside)
to the side
Etymology
'aside' originates from Middle English (from a- + side), where the prefix 'a-' came from Old English 'on' meaning 'on' or 'to', and 'side' came from Old English 'sīde' meaning 'side'.
'aside' changed from Old English phrases like 'on sīde' into Middle English forms such as 'aside' or 'a-side', and eventually became the modern English word 'aside'.
Initially it meant 'to the side' in a spatial sense, but over time it acquired figurative senses such as 'a remark to the side' and the theatrical sense of a line intended for the audience.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'aside': brief remarks or comments made to one side of the main conversation; side comments or short digressions.
He made several asides during the meeting that lightened the mood.
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Noun 2
plural of 'aside': lines spoken by a character in a play intended to be heard by the audience but not by the other characters (theatrical asides).
The play's asides reveal the protagonist's true thoughts to the audience.
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Last updated: 2025/10/28 23:10