aside

[ uh-sahyd ]

adverb

1. on or to one side; to or at a short distance apart; away from some position or direction:

   to turn aside; to move the chair aside.

2. away from one's thoughts or consideration:

   to put one's cares aside.

3. in reserve; in a separate place, as for safekeeping; apart; away:

   to put some money aside for a rainy day.

4. away from a present group, especially for reasons of privacy; off to another part, as of a room; into or to a separate place:

   He took him aside and talked business.

5. in spite of; put apart; notwithstanding:

   all kidding aside; unusual circumstances aside.

noun

1. a part of an actor's lines supposedly not heard by others on the stage and intended only for the audience.
2. words spoken so as not to be heard by others present.
3. a temporary departure from a main theme or topic, especially a parenthetical comment or remark; short digression.

aside

/ əˈsaɪd /

adverb

1. on or to one side

   they stood aside to let him pass

2. out of hearing; in or into seclusion

   he took her aside to tell her of his plan

3. away from oneself

   he threw the book aside

4. out of mind or consideration

   he put aside all fears

5. in or into reserve

   to put aside money for old age

6. aside from
   preposition
   1. besides

      he has money aside from his possessions

   2. except for Compare apart

      he has nothing aside from the clothes he stands in

noun

1. something spoken by an actor, intended to be heard by the audience, but not by the others on stage
2. any confidential statement spoken in undertones
3. a digression

Other Words From

• quasi-a·side adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of aside¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; a- ¹, side ¹

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. aside from,
   1. apart from; besides; excluding:

      Aside from her salary, she receives money from investments.

   2. except for:

      They had no more food, aside from a few stale rolls.

More idioms and phrases containing aside

see all joking aside ; lay aside ; set aside ; take aside .

Example Sentences

Under state laws designed to remedy a housing shortage, the city has to set aside land for the construction of 250,000 more homes than allowed through existing zoning rules.

From Los Angeles Times

“What data tells us from previous periods is that international enrollment has tended to increase” over time aside from during extraordinary circumstances, Goodman said during a briefing.

From Los Angeles Times

Flynn revealed he called her the night before he announced his plan to stand but explicitly denied asking Nicoll to stand aside for him.

From BBC

These challenges aside, there is a growing realisation that unless the African music industry embraces the new technology, it is in danger of losing control of its talent and heritage.

From BBC

This year, a chalet has been set aside in a prime location to allow for six young business owners to operate in the market for free.

From BBC

Related Words

• alone
• away
• out
• separately