Standard Lemma guide
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
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.
noun
An assistant to another person, especially to a superior or more important person.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
In literature, theatre, etc., a good foil of the protagonist, a character who helps emphasize the traits of the main character.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
Topics: authorship, broadcasting, communications, film, journalism, literature, media, publishing, television, writing
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: buddy, brother, chum, crony, pal
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: friend
Narrower terms: cobber
History
From side + kick, which in the late 19th and early 20th century was a slang term for the front side pocket of a pair of trousers, known as the pocket safest from theft. Thus, by analogy, a "side-kick" was a person's closest companion.
Across languages
30 source translations are retained for this English entry.
