Phrase guide

beside oneself

prep_phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

Overcome; consumed by an emotion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • His widow was beside herself with grief.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Possibly derived from Ancient Greek παράνοια (paránoia, “madness”), from παράνοος (paránoos, “demented”), from παρά (pará, “beyond, beside”) + νόος (nóos, “mind, spirit”), with "beside mind" evolving into "beside oneself".

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 異常激動 /异常激动 (yìcháng jīdòng) — consumed by an emotion
  • Czech: být bez sebe — consumed by an emotion
  • Danish: ude af sig selv — consumed by an emotion
  • Esperanto: ekstaza — consumed by an emotion
  • Esperanto: krom si mem — consumed by an emotion
  • Finnish: poissa tolaltaan — consumed by an emotion
  • French: dépassé — consumed by an emotion
  • French: ne plus se sentir — consumed by an emotion
  • German: außer sich — consumed by an emotion
  • Hungarian: magánkívül van — consumed by an emotion
  • Hungarian: odavan — consumed by an emotion
  • Hungarian: nagyon — consumed by an emotion
  • Icelandic: ekki með sjálfum sér — consumed by an emotion
  • Italian: fuori di sè — consumed by an emotion
  • Polish: z siebie — consumed by an emotion
  • Portuguese: fora de si — consumed by an emotion
  • Russian: вне себя́ (vne sebjá) — consumed by an emotion
  • Spanish: fuera de sí — consumed by an emotion
  • Swedish: utom sig — consumed by an emotion
  • Yiddish: אויסער זיך (oyser zikh) — consumed by an emotion