A side is one of the surfaces, edges, or parts of something that is not the front or back, or one of two or more positions in a conflict or choice. It can also mean a secondary dish in a meal.
“Side” comes from Old English “sīde,” meaning the long part of a thing or the flank of a body. It’s related to German “Seite,” meaning side. The idea extended from physical edges to abstract positions or teams.
From choosing a side in an argument to ordering a side of fries, the word always marks something that’s not central but attached to a main thing. Even ‘side effects’ are effects that come along the edges of the main treatment. English loves turning physical geometry into social and medical metaphors.
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