Standard Lemma guide

broadside

adv · noun · verb · 16 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈbrɔːdsaɪd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈbrɔdˌsaɪd/
  • CMU ARPABET: B R AO1 D S AY2 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adv

Meaning 1

Sideways; with the side turned to the direction of some object.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • 1977-1980, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure They were going some 60-80 mph [on a motorcycle] down a 30 mph street, hit a car broadside & Pat pushed against Bert, who was crushed into the side of the car.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

One side of a ship above the waterline.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

All the guns on one side of a warship.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

The simultaneous firing of these guns.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A forceful attack, whether written or spoken.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A large sheet of paper, printed on one side and folded.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

The printed lyrics of a folk song or ballad; a broadsheet.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To collide with something side-on.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective satellite

Meaning 9

toward a full side

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a broadside attack

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

adverb

Meaning 10

with a side facing an object

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the train hit the truck broadside
  • the wave caught the canoe broadside and capsized it

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

the simultaneous firing of all the armament on one side of a warship

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: fire, firing

12

noun

Meaning 12

the whole side of a vessel from stem to stern

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the ship was broadside to the dock

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: side

13

noun

Meaning 13

all of the armament that is fired from one side of a warship

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: armament

14

noun

Meaning 14

a speech of violent denunciation

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tirade, philippic

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: denunciation, denouncement, declamation

15

noun

Meaning 15

an advertisement (usually printed on a page or in a leaflet) intended for wide distribution

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he mailed the circular to all subscribers

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: circular, handbill, bill, broadsheet, flier, flyer, throwaway

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: ad, advertisement, advertizement, advertising, advertizing, advert

Narrower terms: stuffer

16

verb

Meaning 16

collide with the broad side of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • her car broad-sided mine

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: hit, strike, impinge on, run into, collide with

History

Etymology

From broad + side.

Across languages

Translations

39 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: sivuittain — with side towards something
  • Finnish: kyljittäin — with side towards something
  • Irish: go cliathánach — with side towards something
  • Māori: koronae — with side towards something
  • Bulgarian: борд (bord) — one side of a warship
  • Danish: bredside — one side of a warship
  • Finnish: täyslaidallinen — one side of a warship
  • French: bordée — one side of a warship
  • French: flanc — one side of a warship
  • Icelandic: breiðsíða — one side of a warship
  • Italian: bordata — one side of a warship
  • Japanese: 舷側砲 (gensoku-hō) — one side of a warship
  • Norwegian Bokmål: bredside — one side of a warship
  • Spanish: costado — one side of a warship
  • Swedish: bredsida — one side of a warship
  • Bulgarian: бордов залп (bordov zalp) — the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship
  • Danish: bredside — the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship
  • French: bordée — the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship
  • German: Breitseite — the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship
  • Italian: bordata — the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship
  • Norwegian Bokmål: bredside — the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship
  • Norwegian Bokmål: breiside — the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: breiside — the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship
  • Polish: salwa burtowa — the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship
  • Spanish: andanada — the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship
  • Swedish: bredsida — the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship
  • Finnish: täyslaidallinen — written or spoken attack
  • Georgian: სიტყვიერი შეტევა (siṭq̇vieri šeṭeva) — written or spoken attack
  • Georgian: სიტყვიერი თავდასხმა (siṭq̇vieri tavdasxma) — written or spoken attack
  • Georgian: მწვავე კრიტიკა (mc̣vave ḳriṭiḳa) — written or spoken attack
  • Georgian: იერიშის მიტანა (ierišis miṭana) — written or spoken attack
  • Georgian: სიტყვიერი იერიშის მიტანა (siṭq̇vieri ierišis miṭana) — written or spoken attack
  • Georgian: ლანძღვა-გინება (lanʒɣva-gineba) — written or spoken attack
  • Norwegian Bokmål: bredside — written or spoken attack
  • Spanish: andanada — written or spoken attack
  • Portuguese: folhetão — large sheet, printed on one side and folded
  • Danish: skillingsvise — printed lyrics
  • Finnish: arkkiveisu — printed lyrics
  • Swedish: skillingtryck — printed lyrics
Real reading context

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