aside
aside — adverb
1. in a position or direction that is away from the centre of where you are, often
in a position or direction that is away from the centre of where you are, often so that other people or things can pass.
Sami stepped aside to let the elderly woman push her trolley through the doorway.
step aside + to-infinitive (make room)
The nurse gently pulled the curtain aside so the children could see their grandmother.
pull [object] aside (move out of the way)
Renata pushed her long fringe aside before threading the needle under the lamp.
The coach took Diego aside after practice and asked him about his sore knee.
- to one side
phrase form, very close in meaning
- out of the way
stresses clearing space rather than direction
文法句型
verb + aside (step / move / pull / stand)
用法筆記
Almost always follows a verb of motion (step, move, pull, push, stand, draw). Distinguish from sense 4 (EXCEPT FOR), which always appears as 'X aside' at the start of a clause.
常見錯誤
2. kept separate from what you are using now so that you can use it later for a cho
kept separate from what you are using now so that you can use it later for a chosen purpose, especially money, time, or stock.
Uri sets aside two hundred dollars from each paycheck for her daughter's piano lessons.
set aside [money] for [purpose]
The bakery puts aside three loaves every morning for the local food bank.
put aside [items] for [recipient]
Vesna has laid aside enough Sunday afternoons to finish painting the kitchen.
Could you please put this dress aside? I will come back with my mother on Saturday.
- spend
for money objects only
文法句型
set / put / lay aside + money or resource
用法筆記
Object is typically money, time, food, or stock — something tangible that can be reserved. Verb is usually 'set', 'put', or 'lay'. Distinguish from sense 3, which takes abstract objects like worries or differences.
常見錯誤
3. stopping yourself from thinking about a feeling, problem, or disagreement so tha
stopping yourself from thinking about a feeling, problem, or disagreement so that you can focus on something else, usually only for the moment.
The two sisters set aside their argument about the wedding when their mother fell ill.
set aside [conflict] (temporarily ignore)
Dr. Aiko asked the team to put aside their fear and focus on the patient in front of them.
put aside + emotion noun
Let us leave aside the question of cost for now and talk about the design.
Carmen cast aside her doubts and signed the contract before changing her mind.
文法句型
set / put / leave / cast aside + abstract noun
用法筆記
Object is abstract: doubts, differences, feelings, questions, problems. Often signals a temporary pause, not permanent rejection. Distinguish from sense 2, which takes concrete objects like money or stock.
常見錯誤
4. a way of saying that one thing should not be counted, so that what follows in th
a way of saying that one thing should not be counted, so that what follows in the sentence is true about everything else.
Jokes aside, we really do need a new heating system before winter arrives.
[noun] aside introducing a serious turn
The slow service aside, our dinner at the harbour restaurant was wonderful.
[complaint] aside, [positive evaluation]
Cost aside, the new electric scooter would suit Grandma's daily trips to the market.
One small spelling error aside, Hana's essay about her hometown was nearly perfect.
- apart from
more neutral; can also begin a clause
- aside from
the prepositional version, takes the noun after
- notwithstanding
very formal, often legal
文法句型
[noun phrase] aside, [main clause]
用法筆記
Always sits AFTER the noun it relates to and at the start of a clause: '[noun] aside, …'. Distinguish from sense 1 (TO THE SIDE), which sits after a verb of motion.
常見錯誤
aside — noun
1. a comment said in a low voice to one person nearby so that the other people in t
a comment said in a low voice to one person nearby so that the other people in the room cannot hear it.
During the boring speech, Hana whispered an aside to her brother about the speaker's strange tie.
whisper an aside to [person]
The chef muttered a sharp aside to her sous-chef about the slow waiter.
mutter a [adjective] aside
Mr. Patel made a witty aside, and only the front row of students laughed.
From the back of the courtroom came an aside that made the lawyer flush red.
文法句型
whisper / mutter an aside (to someone)
用法筆記
Frequently appears with verbs of quiet speech: whisper, mutter, hiss. Often modified by adjectives like 'witty', 'sharp', 'sarcastic'. Distinguish from sense 2, which is a longer digression rather than a brief whisper.
常見錯誤
2. a short comment or short story inside a talk or piece of writing that moves away
a short comment or short story inside a talk or piece of writing that moves away from the main topic before the speaker or writer returns to it.
As an aside, the professor mentioned the village where her grandmother had grown up before returning to the lecture.
as an aside (digression marker)
The novel is full of charming asides about the narrator's cat and her noisy neighbours.
plural: asides about [topic]
In a brief aside, the coach told the parents about the team's new uniforms before discussing tactics.
Mayor Alvarez's speech mixed serious arguments with funny asides about life in her small town.
- digression
more formal; often longer than an aside
- tangent
informal; suggests drifting off topic
- parenthesis
in writing; an inserted remark
文法句型
as an aside; in an aside
用法筆記
Often appears in the fixed phrase 'as an aside' to flag a deliberate digression. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense is a topical detour heard or read by the whole audience, not a private whisper.