Meanings
alternative on side · alternative on-side
- not comparablehobbiesNot in an offside position; in the part of the playing area where one can legally play the ball, puck, etc.
The goal was allowed because the attacker was onside.
4 more examples
After passing the puck, the center immediately breaks to the front of the net, making certain to stay onside.
2004, Bruce Driver, Clare Wharton, The Baffled Parent's Guide to Coaching Youth Hockey, page 178Rafael van der Vaart then stayed onside to slot past Paddy Kenny when he collected Ledley King's mis-hit shot.
2011 October 30, Alistair Magowan, “Tottenham 3 - 1 QPR”, in BBC SportThe difference in recovery percentage between surprise onside kicks and non-surprise onside kicks is striking.
2012, Jeffrey Ma, The House Advantage: Playing the Odds to Win Big In Business, →ISBNIf the ball carrier you are doubling gets the ball through the lane, the rotation is as follows: The onside man who was denying his man the ball continues the same technique.
2018, Jack B. Kaley, Richard B. Donovan, Lacrosse Essentials, →ISBN, page 113 - broadlynot comparableslangWithin bounds.
[Verse 2:Kano]:On-sight, thought he was onside, innit. Saw them guys, no shots fired innit. If you ain't real then don't ride, innit. That postcode, that's offside, innit.
2016 March 4, “3 Wheel-Ups” (track 4), in Made in the Manor, performed by Kano (British musician),Giggs (rapper),Wiley (musician) - not comparableOn the side of a vehicle from which the driver, paddler, etc. propels it.
No, there's no way I call up just for a chat, like 'Hi, Nigel, you've left your rear onside winker on!'
1987, Punch - Volume 293, Issues 7662-7669, page lviii4 more examples
The toll plaza will consist of an administration building and 16 onside modern barrier-type toll boths, with provision for four additional toll booths should future traffic demand require them.
1957, California Highways and Public Works - Volume 36, page 45Continue the rotation until your onside shoulder is pointing toward the bow and your onside arm is fully extended.
2004, Dennis Stuhaug, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Canoeing and Kayaking, →ISBNFor more advanced paddlers the boat can be steered back onto the onside stroke by putting a little offside edge on at the end of the stroke, thus reducing the need for cross-bow strokes.
2006, Franco Ferrero, The British Canoe Union Coaching Handbook, →ISBN, page 329The reverse sweep turns the canoe sharply onside, reducing forward momentum. The solo paddler's body rotates onside with the onside shoulder turned towards the stern.
2011, Introduction to Paddling: Canoeing Basics for Lakes and Rivers, →ISBN - not comparablebridgeFavourably located, from the point of view of the player taking a finesse.
With A-Q-10 opposite x-x-x, you have a 24% chance of three tricks, both missing honors being onside. You have a 52% chance of two tricks, with one honor onside and the other offside. FInally, you have a 24% chance of making only one trick, when both the king and the jack are offside.
2000, David Bird, Marc Smith, Planning the Play in Notrump, →ISBN, page 25 - not comparableIn agreement or support; on board.
There was a very delicate balancing act the whole time about measures that would keep the Unionists onside without upsetting the Nationalist-Republican community too much.
2012, T. James, Elite Statecraft and Election Administration, →ISBN
plural onsides · alternative on side · alternative on-side
- hobbiesThe portion of the playing area where one can legally play the ball, puck, etc.
- The side of a vehicle on which the driver primarily propels it.
The cross-bow rudder uses the offside blade on the onside of the kayak.
2017, Nigel Foster -, The Art of Kayaking: Everything You Need to Know About Paddling, →ISBN
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivenot offside; being within the prescribed area of play
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
Translations
German nicht abseits, nicht im Abseits (not offside)
- nicht abseits(football) not in an offside position
- nicht im Abseits (not offside)(football) not in an offside position
Spanish [4] a favor
- [4] a favor(football) not in an offside position
Swedish onside
- onside(football) not in an offside position
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
onside. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/onside
“onside.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/onside. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “onside,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/onside.
Source: onside on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.