What does sidewise mean?
Sidewise is an adverb meaning toward or in a direction along the side of something. It can describe movement, orientation, or a gaze: a person may look sidewise, move an object sidewise, or travel sidewise across a surface. The word can also carry a sense of indirectness, particularly in expressions such as a sidewise glance or comment, suggesting that something is being approached obliquely rather than directly. Sidewise is understood in British and American English but is less frequent in everyday conversation than the near-synonym 'sideways'. Its compact form gives it a formal or literary quality, making it useful in descriptive writing when the emphasis is on direction along a side or on an indirect, furtive manner.
adverbToward or in a sideways direction; along or from one side.
- Toward or in a sideways direction.
- From or along one side.
- Indirectly, especially by means of a sideways glance or remark.
"She glanced sidewise at the unfamiliar visitor."
"The crab moved sidewise across the wet sand."
"He looked at me sidewise before answering."
Sidewise captures movement along a side rather than directly forward, often suggesting a sideways glance or indirect approach.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of sidewise
The word is formed from 'side' and the suffix '-wise'. The suffix '-wise' has long been used in English to form adverbs indicating manner, direction, or position, as in 'clockwise', 'lengthwise', and 'likewise'. 'Sidewise' developed as a transparent equivalent of the older and more familiar 'sideways', and it retains the same core meaning of moving or being oriented along a side.
How sidewise is actually used
Sidewise is somewhat literary and less common than the more familiar adverb 'sideways'. It can convey an oblique or indirect manner, especially when describing a glance or comment.