broadside means sideways; with the side turned to the direction of some object. It carries an Arena rating of 1513, earned across 2 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, broadside ranks #587 of 17,142 for Most Ingenious Words, #2,243 of 17,127 for Words That Escaped Their Books, #3,583 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #4,050 of 17,127 for Most Vivid Words.
broadside is pronounced /ˈbrɔːdsaɪd/.
Why “broadside” is a great word
The simultaneous discharge of all guns on one side of a warship, or a large sheet of paper printed on one side for public distribution. From broad ("wide") + side, first recorded in 1565–75. Unlike a "salvo" (a coordinated volley not specific to a ship's geometry) or a "pamphlet" (a folded, multi-page booklet), a broadside is an act or object of singular, expansive impact. It is the splintering thunder of naval cannonade, the inked proclamation nailed to a tavern wall, the sickening scrape of a car struck amidships—a force delivered from the flank, the most vulnerable angle of any defense, leaving neither target nor moment unchanged.
Etymology
From broad + side.
adv
- Sideways; with the side turned to the direction of some object.e.g.“[...] the slight fluctuations [in speed] were due to a strong side-wind, which caught the train broadside along exposed stretches of the line.” — 1964 June, Cecil J. Allen, “Locomotive Running Past and Present”, in Modern Railways, page 388:
noun
- One side of a ship above the waterline.
- All the guns on one side of a warship.
- The simultaneous firing of these guns.e.g.“Broadside! What fools to face our guns!” — 2007 September 25, Bungie, Halo 3, spoken by Rtas 'Vadum (Robert Davi), Microsoft Game Studios, Xbox 360, level/area: The Ark:
- A forceful attack, whether written or spoken.
- A large sheet of paper, printed on one side and folded.
- The printed lyrics of a folk song or ballad; a broadsheet.
verb
- To collide with something side-on.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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