beside
Syllabification: (be·side)
Pronunciation: /biˈsīd/
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Definition of beside
preposition
Phrases
- see point.
It is sometimes said that beside should not be used to mean ‘apart from’ and that besides should be used instead (he commissioned work from other artists besides Minton rather than he commissioned work from other artists beside Minton). Although there is little logical basis for such a view, and in standard English both beside and besides are used for this sense, it is worth being aware of the potential ambiguity in the use of beside: beside the cold meat, there are platters of trout and salmon means either ‘the cold meat is next to the trout and salmon’ or ‘apart from the cold meat, there are also trout and salmon.’ Beside is always the word to use in the phrases beside the point and beside oneself.