sidewaysadv.adj.
/ˈsʌɪdweɪz/, U.S. /ˈsaɪdˌweɪz/ A. adv.
1.
a. Towards the side; in a lateral or sideward direction.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > inclination > [adverb]
sidelonga1398
aslanta1400
aslopec1400
embelifc1400
a-sloutc1440
sleetc1440
slant1495
obliquely1503
shoringc1503
a-swash1530
biaswise1545
biasways1556
slantingly1570
sideways1572
slantwise1573
avelinges1577
bias?1578
askant1602
slopely1605
slantinga1625
oblique1667
bias-way1702
skew1706
slantly1719
inclinably1760
slantways1828
slantindicular1831
slantindicularly1834
skewly1896
slaunchways1933
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > sideways movement or a sideways movement > [adverb]
sidelonga1398
sidelings?a1400
sidelingc1425
laterallyc1454
collaterally?a1475
sidewarda1513
sidewise1531
byward1556
sideways1572
sidewards1575
sidelingwise1577
crabby1582
crab-like1605
sideway1847
crabwise1904
the world > space > direction > specific directions > [adverb] > in sideways direction
sidelonga1398
sidelings?a1400
sidelingc1425
laterallyc1454
sidewarda1513
sidewise1531
besidec1540
sideway1561
sideways1572
1572 tr. S. Münster Briefe Coll. & Compend. Extract Cosmogr. f. 18v Their eies dyd not loke straight and forwarde but onely sideways.
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues À costiere, aside, sideling, sidewayes.
a1630 F. Moryson in Shakespeare's Europe (1903) i. viii. 142 And two [guns] of like greatnes..were turned towards the Gallye to shoote sydewayes.
1693 R. Bentley Boyle Lect. vii. 23 The Atoms may not only fly side-ways, but over likewise and under each other.
1716 I. Newton Let. 27 Jan. in Corr. (1976) VI. 271 How far it will keep a true recconing of the motion of a ship sideways occasioned by a sidewind does not appear to me.
a1774 O. Goldsmith Surv. Exper. Philos. (1776) I. 408 Thus far as to water spouting horizontally, or as we usually say sideways from a vessel.
1817 S. T. Coleridge Anc. Mariner (rev. ed.) iii, in Sibylline Leaves 15 We listen'd and look'd sideways up!
1838 W. Whewell in J. M. Douglas Life & Corr. W. Whewell (1881) 191 The horse slipped down side-ways on a hard-frozen slope, and I fell on my shoulder.
1868 J. N. Lockyer Elem. Lessons Astron. §176 He will find that the axis is not then inclined either to or from the Sun, but sideways.
1909 Chatterbox 290/2 He ducked sideways swiftly into the wilderness of ferny gorse at the side of the road.
1966 G. Greene Comedians iii. iii. 280 The car because of my momentary inattention skidded sideways.
2008 Wall St. Jrnl. 9 June a15/1 From time to time gusts of tropical wind carry the downpour sideways.
b. Stock Market and Economics. With reference to the prices in a market, economy, etc.: at a steady level; without rising or falling to any significant degree. Cf. sense B. 2.
ΚΠ
1905 Washington Post 24 May 12/4 The market has not yet taken a definite course... In the meantime, it is expected to ‘go sideways’, as Mr. Mearns expressed it, rather than up or down.
1921 Irish Times 5 Oct. 8/3 Nobody seems to care whether prices go up, down, or sideways.
1944 Financial Times 9 Mar. 3/4 The market continues to move sideways within the broader limits referred to.
1960 Corpus Christi (Texas) Caller-Times 10 Apr. e1/4 Business activity appears to have moved ‘sideways’ in March, with some economic indicators improving, while others..declined slightly.
1989 Farmer 16 Sept. 23/2 Through year's end, soybean prices will skid sideways to slightly lower.
1992 Natal Mercury 3 Nov. 11 JSE shares ended mixed after drifting sideways in dull trade yesterday.
2009 C. Futia Art Contrarian Trading xv. 198 Over the subsequent two months the stock market moved sideways, not dropping below its January low points but not rallying much, either.
c. At the same level within a company, organization, or other hierarchical group. Now used esp. with reference to a change of role or position within an organization that does not involve a significant change in salary or rank. Cf. sense B. 3.
ΚΠ
1938 Personnel Aug. 34 Establishing lines of communication upward, downward, and sideways, through all the different levels of authority.
1941 M. C. H. Niles Middle Managem. xii. 231 Knowledge, experience, and attitude are shared sideways at different levels.
1953 M. E. Dimock et al. Publ. Admin. xii. 342 The forces of coordination run upward, downward, and sideways in the organization.
1970 A. Tofler Future Shock ii. vii. 137 People communicating ‘sideways’..behave differently..than those who must communicate up and down a hierarchy.
1993 Times 7 Sept. 19/3 He then moved sideways within the OUP to become head of German dictionaries.
2003 F. Graham Inside Japanese Company v. 114 It is never clear whether someone has been moved to an unfavourable position because they are on the way up, or because they are shunted sideways.
d. colloquial. As an intensifier: thoroughly, utterly; excessively, to the limit of one's tolerance.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > quantity > greatness of quantity, amount, or degree > high or intense degree > [adverb] > utterly
allOE
allOE
outlyOE
thwert-outc1175
skerea1225
thoroughc1225
downrightc1275
purec1300
purelyc1300
faira1325
finelyc1330
quitec1330
quitelyc1330
utterlyc1374
outerlya1382
plainlya1382
straighta1387
allutterly1389
starkc1390
oultrelya1393
plata1393
barec1400
outrightc1400
incomparablyc1422
absolutely?a1425
simpliciter?a1425
staringa1425
quitementa1450
properlyc1450
directly1455
merec1475
incomparable1482
preciselyc1503
clean?1515
cleara1522
plain1535
merely1546
stark1553
perfectly1555
right-down1566
simply1574
flat1577
flatly1577
skire1581
plumb1588
dead?1589
rankly1590
stark1593
sheera1600
start1599
handsmooth1600
peremptory1601
sheerly1601
rank1602
utter1619
point-blank1624
proofa1625
peremptorily1626
downrightly1632
right-down1646
solid1651
clever1664
just1668
hollow1671
entirely1673
blank1677
even down1677
cleverly1696
uncomparatively1702
subtly1733
point1762
cussed1779
regularly1789
unqualifiedly1789
irredeemably1790
positively1800
cussedly1802
heart1812
proper1816
slick1818
blankly1822
bang1828
smack1828
pluperfectly1831
unmitigatedly1832
bodaciously1833
unredeemedly1835
out of sight1839
bodacious1845
regular1846
thoroughly1846
ingrainedly1869
muckinga1880
fucking1893
motherless1898
self1907
stone1928
sideways1956
terminally1974
1956 ‘B. Holiday’ & W. Dufty Lady sings Blues x. 110 There was nothing anybody in California could show me, anything there was doing out there I'd seen before and sideways.
1974 Times 9 Feb. 11 Broadstairs bored him sideways, and he taught me to press on.
1985 A. Bleasdale Are you Lonesome Tonight? 55 Older Presley:..Listen, man,..there's just one thing you could do for me. Duke: Yeah? Older Presley: Yeah. Go screw yourself. Sideways.
2010 D. French in Sunday Tel. (Nexis) 24 Oct. (Seven section) 3 I am chuffed sideways to have had the chance to ‘edit’ this edition of Seven.
2. From the side; in side view, in profile.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > direction > specific directions > [adverb] > in sideways direction > from or on the side
sideways1575
sidewise1581
1575 G. Turberville Bk. Faulconrie 100 Shee is better content when shee seeth the meate plainely before hir, than if shee sawe it sidewayes, or looking backe.
1577 B. Googe tr. C. Heresbach Foure Bks. Husbandry iii. f. 128* Let him that keepes them, offer them a little meate, not sidewayes, or behinde, but before, coyng them all the whyle.
1712 Spectator No. 524. ⁋6 Where they lost the full Prospect of the Radiant Pillar, and saw it but side-ways.
1774 O. Goldsmith Hist. Earth V. 128 The kite or the goss-hawk approach their prey side-ways.
1838 F. O. Ward Outl. Human Osteol. iv. 229 The crest of the ilium..is curved so as to appear convex, when looked at sideways; alternately convex and concave..when surveyed from above.
1873 Proc. Zool. Soc. London 6 May 442 The labium is strongly impressed in a transverse direction below its apex, giving this part the appearance, when looked at sideways, of curling back over towards the base.
1908 A. C. Holms Pract. Shipbuilding (ed. 2) I. ii. xxxii. 456 When the model is viewed sideways, or endways, the junctions or contour lines of the planks appear as parallel straight lines.
1999 G. H. Bell-Villada Borges & his Fiction (2000) 104 A dog seen sideways at 3:14 is to Funes a totally different phenomenon from the same dog seen frontwise at 3:15.
3.
a. So as to present the side instead of the face, front, or end; with one side facing forward; facing to the side. Cf. side-on adv.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > direction > specific directions > [adverb] > in sideways direction > side-on
sideling1548
sidelings1558
sidewise1588
sideways1598
sidelong1610
side-on1849
sideways-on1874
1598 W. Phillip tr. J. H. van Linschoten Disc. Voy. E. & W. Indies i. iii. 5/2 But it is a side wind, and we must alway lie side waies in the wind almost untill wee come to the cape de Bona Speranza.
1612 H. Peacham Gentlemans Exercise iii. 168 A Lion is giuen sometimes but halfe,..Sometime but his head only, which is neuer born but side-waies, and with one eie.
1671 tr. A. de Courtin Rules Civility vi. 53 Because it is not so handsome to set full in his face, it will be esteemed good breeding, if he place himself..something side ways.
1713 W. Derham Physico-theol. To Rdr. sig. A6v The Beards..are..not to be seen, unless they are laid in a due Posture in the Microscope, viz. sideways.
1770 P. Luckombe Conc. Hist. Printing 344 Taking..five quires off his Heap in both his hands,..he shakes them long-ways and side-ways, to and fro.
1818 Cobbett's Weekly Polit. Reg. 33 596 Their great Quack..would have pushed them along, either long-ways or side-ways, head-foremost or heels-foremost, through all their difficulties.
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. v. 106 Some side-ways, some head first, some stern first.
1867 G. MacDonald Ann. Quiet Neighbourhood I. ix. 235 A..narrow stair, upon which two people could not pass without turning sideways and squeezing.
1915 G. Frankau Tid'apa ii. 17 Perched sideways, short-frocked, on the mattress, he thought her a child in the gloom.
1966 P. Bowles Up above World xxv. 175 She sat sideways on her bed and unthinkingly began to play a kind of solitaire.
2009 Toronto Star (Nexis) 19 June c1 Upstairs, the bathroom was so tiny it had to be entered sideways.
b. With to or towards.
ΚΠ
1640 Englands Complaint to Iesus Christ sig. D4v They have set up their Tables Sidewayes to the East wall.
1742 Philos. Trans. 1739–40 (Royal Soc.) 41 126 The two Clocks were each in Cases, which shut very close, and placed Sideways to one another.
1797 R. Southey Lett. from Spain viii. 92 The course of the Ezla..has altered much since the bridge was built. It now stands sideways to the current.
1825 J. Neal Brother Jonathan I. 79 Lucy Armstrong..sat..sideways towards Peters.
1880 Fraser's Mag. Aug. 156 He was not quite facing the window, but stood sideways towards it.
1956 A. L. Rowse Diary 24 Aug. (2003) 252 They occupy a dower-house.., sideways to the hill sloping up to Ugbrooke Park.
1992 C. McCarthy All Pretty Horses (1993) ii. 113 He was seated sideways to the table with his legs crossed.
4. Esp. of the head: so as to incline to one side; at an oblique angle to the vertical.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > inclination > [adverb] > so as to incline to one side
asidec1369
asidesc1384
asidenc1503
sideling1585
sideways1645
sidewise1762
sidelong1879
baw-ways1907
1645 J. Milton Epit. Marchioness of Winchester in Poems 25 But the fair blossom hangs the head Side-ways.
1692 J. Quick Synodicon xxxv. 229 John Garsin..red-favour'd and frowning, holding his Head a little side-ways.
1734 E. Hody Giffard's Cases Midwifry cxxii. 273 The first part I met with was the Mouth, the Child's Head lying bent sideways upon the Breast.
1830 La Belle Assemblee Jan. 27/2 She..is obliged to place her head sideways to ascend her carriage, her head-dress being wider than the pannels of her coach-door.
1868 A. C. Swinburne in Fortn. Rev. July 26 A beautiful head of a youth bent sideways.
1902 J. Conrad Typhoon iv. 36 His knees up and his head drooping sideways in a girlish attitude.
2001 J. Clarkson Reed's Promise (2004) xi. 79 Exposed rafters held..a turn-of-the-century dog sled, which had been set up overhead, tipped sideways, displayed like a museum piece.
5. On or at one side of a place, person, or thing. Formerly also without construction.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > relative position > quality of having sides or being a side > [adverb] > on or at one side
sideOE
sidenhand?a1400
sidelings?a1425
sidenhands1440
sideling1543
sideway1561
side hand1577
atoneside1600
aside1610
sideways1673
sidewards1722
1673 Deposition J. Thing 5 Sept. in D. D. Hall Witch-hunting 17th-cent. New Eng. (1991) xiv. 227 I saw..Eunice Cole about 20 rod: behind or in a triangle sideways of me.
1694 W. Wotton Refl. Anc. & Mod. Learning 202 He thought it had been placed Sideways of the Head of the Stirrup, whereas Monsieur du Verney finds that it lies in the Head of the Stirrup.
1752 J. Hill Hist. Animals i. ii. 111 The ears..are situated sideways of the eyes, and a little behind them.
1753 Chambers's Cycl. Suppl. at Coursing No horseman or footman is to go before or sideways, but all strait behind.
1785 Scots Mag. Nov. 551/2 The horseman waits for him, not exactly in front, but sideways of the line in which the bull first begins to run.
1805 ‘E. de Acton’ Nuns of Desert II. 2 We proceeded..till we reached a cottage, about a mile sideways of Marston.
1853 M. Roth Gymnastic Free Exercises of P. H. Ling i. 16 Placing sideways of the left foot one length of a foot.
1902 Canad. Patent Office Rec. Feb. 231/1 A bending roller on said shaft located sideways of the centre pin.
2014 Frontiers in Psychol. Apr. 51 The directional tām ‘sideways’ refers to any direction or location sideways of the river.
6. By an indirect way or route; indirectly.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > change of direction of movement > [adverb] > not in a straight course
indirectly1474
sideways1722
society > travel > means of travel > route or way > [adverb] > by an indirect route
round1562
sideways1722
circuitously1870
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > hiding, concealing from view > keeping from knowledge > indirect action or process > [adverb]
sidelya1425
through the sides of?1560
collaterally1610
by the waya1616
sidewise1654
secretly1656
slantinglya1677
ambagiously1678
circuitously1797
sideways1876
in-circle1883
1722 tr. F. C. Weber Present State Russia II. 277 Whatever Provisions were with the greatest difficulty bought up Sideways in the Country and carried to them, were to be paid for double and treble the value.
1876 Ld. Tennyson Harold i. i. 20 Side not with Tostig in any violence, Lest thou be sideways guilty of the violence.
1991 Economist 5 Jan. 81/1 He came into politics sideways, as campaign manager for his friend Ronald Reagan.
2010 J. Vandenburgh Archit. of Novel i. iii. 85 The narrative works sideways, going by the dream logic of storytelling.
B. adj.
1. Directed or moving towards or from the side; turned to or facing the side; oblique, indirect.
ΘΚΠ
the world > space > direction > [adjective] > oblique
eavelongc1300
oblique?a1425
obliquida1599
sidelong1598
sideways1684
slanting1688
slant1793
the world > movement > motion in a certain direction > sideways movement or a sideways movement > [adjective]
sidelingc1155
sidelong1608
sideward?1617
sideway1650
sideways1684
sidelings1768
sidling1821
sidewards1827
sidewinding1867
sidestepping1902
crabwise1904
the world > space > direction > specific directions > [adjective] > having sideways direction
sidelingc1155
sidelong1608
sideward?1617
sideway1650
sidewise1680
sideways1684
side-on1900
sideways-on1964
1684 T. Creech tr. Horace Odes iii. xxii, in tr. Horace Odes, Satyrs, & Epist. (new ed.) 115 A Bore that Aims a side-ways wound Shall Yearly stain the Trunk with offer'd Blood.
a1737 J. Hutchinson Glory or Gravity: 2nd Pt. (1738) 122 The Colours in the Sides of the Stream must be changed by the sideways Motion of the Corpuscles.
1791 J. Collinson Hist. & Antiq. Somerset II. 302 On the top was a large stone, whereon was the figure of a man lying in a sideways attitude on a long pillow.
1846 Athenæum 17 Oct. 1073/2 Surely, the Professor was not all that while searching..for argument and proof against the ‘sideways’ position of the statue on the arch.
1869 Ann. Rep. Commissioner Agric. 1868 253 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (40th Congr., 3rd Sess.: House of Representatives Executive Doc.) XV There will be no sagging, nor any side-ways deflection of the setting guide or the row.
1899 Daily News 6 Dec. 5/1 The present Press seats at Lord's are in the grand stand with a sideways view of the game.
1914 T. W. Corbin Aircraft iv. 53 A sideways movement of the same lever warps the planes and brings the aeroplane back to a level position.
1960 A. H. Benade Horns, Strings, & Harmony vii. 143 Air molecules..act very much like smooth elastic balls which can exert head-on pushes on one another, but no sideways ‘shearing’ forces.
2006 Good Woodworking June 46/3 (caption) It was difficult to hold the square firmly enough to resist the sideways pressure from the knife.
2. Stock Market and Economics. Of a market, prices, etc.: not rising or falling significantly over time. Cf. sense A. 1b.Originally with reference to a line on a graph tracking share prices.
ΚΠ
1923 Barron's 22 Jan. 2/2 The market continues to make its sideways line, refusing to give any inkling of whether this is a minor period of accumulation or distribution.
1936 Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Va.) 21 Jan. 5/5 There is not the hesitancy nor fear that often accompanies a declining market or a sideways market.
1963 Financial Times 12 Oct. 5/4 Rubbers improved a little this week but..there is little scope for much else than the familiar sideways movement in prices.
1988 Changing Times Oct. 26/1 The entire spectrum of market behavior..: an epic three-year rally, the crash to end all crashes, a sideways trading period and..the makings of a modest up cycle.
1991 N.Y. Times 28 Nov. d4/5 Other economists..used expressions like ‘a sideways economy’ and ‘an economy that is squeaking by’ to characterize the overall situation.
2014 M. Sincere Predict Next Bull or Bear Market & Win ii. 33 Although these indicators work well when the market is trending up or down, they are not as effective during a sideways market.
3. That takes place at the same level within a company, organization, or other hierarchical group. Of an (esp. unwanted or undesirable) change of role or position: that does not involve a significant change in salary or rank. Frequently ironic in sideways promotion. Cf. sense A. 1c.
ΚΠ
1948 Proc. 29th Ann. Conf. National Office Managem. Assoc. 49/1 We..now have..communication between members of management who operate on the same level in the organization. I suppose you can call this sideways communication.
1962 Managem. Internat. 2 72 Managers inevitably move up the ladder as functional specialists. ‘Sideways promotion’ helps, but..offers no adequate answer.
1971 Managem. Rev. (N.Y.) Sept. 32/2 In addition to the top-down and bottom-up relationship, there should be a sideways relationship between one department and another.
2007 S. Godin Dip 61 Doug got a sideways promotion. Same level, but a new team of analysts to report to him.
4. That treats a subject from a different or unconventional angle; unorthodox, ‘offbeat’.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > behaviour > a standard of conduct > [adjective] > not conforming to standard behaviour
irregular1395
unformalc1449
informalc1475
disordered1561
monstrous1568
odd1577
irregulate1579
exorbitant1613
free-spirited1613
exorbitating1632
inconformable1633
extravagant1650
inconform1659
eccentric1685
unconformable1702
outrageous1778
unconventional1840
erratic1841
kinky1844
Bohemian1846
radical1869
Bohemic1874
nonconforming1899
hard case1904
jazz1917
offbeat1922
deviant1935
deviate1945
oddball1945
left field1951
way out1955
boho1958
non-conformant1960
sideways1969
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > irregularity > unconformity > [adjective] > deviating from rule or standard
exorbitant1534
unorthodox1629
aberrant1778
aberrated1786
divergent1801
radical1869
nonstandard1870
non-regular1896
non-regulation1953
non-conformant1960
alternative1962
sideways1969
alternate1970
marginala1988
alt1988
1969 Financial Times 8 Feb. 2/5 Braden's Week: magazine, a sideways look at the events of the week.
1982 Christian Sci. Monitor 1 Apr. 19/1 A real experimenter, Benning takes a sideways approach to storytelling: He splits his plot into bits and pieces, and interrupts these with digressions into the realm of pure film.
2010 Brisbane News (Nexis) 17 Mar. 27 Scott's songwriting captures a sideways take on life's quirkier aspects.
Phrases
P1. to look sideways: to look (at) or regard furtively or improperly; spec. to glance amorously or suspiciously at a person or thing.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sexual relations > sexual relationship > have sexual relationship with [verb (transitive)] > pursue or regard sexually
to look sideways1652
to put the make on1956
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > seeing or looking > [adverb] > looking sideways
asquinta1250
sidelings?a1400
bagginglyc1400
askoyc1425
askilec1450
to look sideways1652
squintly1655
skew-eyed1658
with eye askant1753
skaunt1791
out of, with the tail of the eye1805
the mind > emotion > love > flirtation or coquetry > flirt with [verb (transitive)] > look amorously at
to cast (also throw) a sheep's-eye at (or upon)a1529
to look sideways1652
ogle1686
sheep's-eye1801
to cast (occasionally to make) sheep's-eyes at1809
to eye up1820
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > lack of confidence, distrust, suspicion > be mistrustful, suspect [verb (intransitive)] > look sideways
skew1570
to look sideways1652
1652 C. Cotterell tr. G. de Costes de La Calprenède Cassandra ii. vi. 76 Hee presently believed that it was hee, who had laid that ambush for him..and in that opinion looking sidewaies upon him, Wicked man (said hee).
1844 ‘J. Slick’ High Life N.Y. I. xiv. 217 If he dared looked sideways at his [i.e. another's] wife or sister.
1860 J. Kavanagh Seven Years III. 142 If any one should look sideways at you for what has passed, let that person expect to settle it with me.
1895 J. Conrad Almayer's Folly 160 This thought caused him to pluck up heart and look at Nina sideways.
1921 B. Gilbert Old Eng. 70 But he was known to be paying to three different women for a child each, And his housekeeper beginning to look sideways.
1974 N. Marsh Black as he's Painted vi. 162 It wouldn't..be anything out of the way if they got round to looking sideways at each other.
2014 Dominion Post (Wellington, N.Z.) (Nexis) 20 Nov. 9 Look sideways at all statements by MPs about their lack of future ambition.
P2. to knock sideways: to astonish or dumbfound, as with pleasure or shock; to affect profoundly or dramatically.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > effect produced on emotions > have an effect on [verb (transitive)] > with irresistible force
kill1634
to knock sideways1890
to blow (a person's) mind1967
the mind > mental capacity > expectation > feeling of wonder, astonishment > quality of inspiring wonder > cause wonder, astonish [verb (transitive)] > stupefy
awhapec1300
stonyc1330
astony1340
astonec1374
mazec1390
stounda1400
stuna1400
to-stony?a1400
stounc1400
clumsec1440
overmusec1460
stonish1488
strike1533
dazzle1561
stoyne1563
stupefy1577
stupefact1583
obstupefy1611
astound1637
petrify1667
flabbergast1773
stagnatea1798
stama1800
swarf1813
boggle1835
razzle-dazzle1886
to knock sideways1890
stupend1900
gobsmack1987
1890 Morning Oregonian (Portland, Oregon) 25 Nov. i. 7 The effects of the blockade are bad. Business is knocked sideways.
1925 B. Travers Mischief iv. 60 She could have engaged in a viva voce competition with the editor of The Dog World and knocked him sideways.
1942 J. B. Priestley Black-out in Gretley vii. 169 When anybody..does something or has something that suddenly knocks me sideways, I feel I ought to mention it... It's like paying a debt.
1960 M. Stewart My Brother Michael xvi. 203 I can't seem to think straight... I feel knocked kind of sideways.
2000 National Trust Mag. Spring 56/3 He had no idea the BSE crisis was just around the corner and, he says, ‘it really knocked us sideways’.
P3. to go sideways.
a. British slang. To do something illegal, to commit a crime. Obsolete. rare.
ΚΠ
1899 C. Rook Hooligan Nights iv. 90 The slavey [sc. servant] was awright... She never went sideways.
b. chiefly North American colloquial. To go wrong or badly, to go awry.
ΚΠ
1953 Railway Carmen's Jrnl. June 128/2 Uncle Elmer sez... Some of these dern rules cin go sideways faster then 'n elevator cin go down.
1983 Indiana (Pa.) Gaz. 11 Jan. 22/1 The best line [in a revue], emitted early on, is ‘I think I lost my G-spot’. Things go sideways from there.
1999 T. Birr Public & Media Relations for Fire Service 116 A reputation for being candid, helpful, and honest can give you an edge..when things go sideways.
2008 Autoweek 10 Nov. 22 The iRacing simulator caters to everyone... And if it all goes sideways? Just press the reset button.
Compounds
sideways-looking adj. = side-looking adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sight and vision > a look or glance > [adjective] > sideways
askanted1576
squintinga1593
askance1593
squint1611
leer1631
skaunt1791
squinnya1825
sideways-looking1832
cockeyed1852
skance1866
squinnying1973
the mind > attention and judgement > discovery > instrument for detection > [adjective] > scanning horizontally
sideways-looking1832
side-looking1959
side-scanning1960
side scan1961
society > communication > telecommunication > other types of sound telecommunication > [adjective] > of sonar: being or producing a sideways beam
sideways-looking1832
side-looking1959
side scan1961
society > communication > telecommunication > radio communications > [adjective] > radar > types of
sideways-looking1832
primary radar1945
shoran1946
passive1954
monopulse1955
back scatter1957
monostatic1957
side-looking1959
side scan1961
lookdown1968
1832 Fraser's Mag. Aug. 27/1 The inhabitants of the whole group are the most fantastic, pert, and sideways-looking creatures in the world.
1962 Daily Tel. 29 Oct. 22/3 A new method of obtaining aerial pictures is by ‘sideways looking’ radar.
1966 Geo-Marine Technol. Oct. 18 Sideways-looking sonars produce acoustic pictures of the surface of the sea-bed.
1979 ‘M. M. Kaye’ Shadow of Moon (ed. 2) xxxiv. 408 The dark, secretive, sideways-looking eyes.
1991 M. Gaitskill Two Girls, Fat & Thin 106 They stood silently,..the boy's bored, sideways-looking face becoming larger by the moment.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adv.adj.1572