broadside
To broadside means to hit or collide with the side of something, most commonly a vehicle. Metaphorically, it refers to launching a sudden, forceful, and often public verbal or written attack against someone or something.
Exemples
3 sur 5A speeding van broadsided the delivery truck at the main intersection downtown.
A speeding van hit the side of the delivery truck at the main intersection downtown.
The minister broadsided the opposition's claims during the press conference, calling them baseless.
The minister launched a forceful attack on the opposition's claims during the press conference, calling them baseless.
I didn't mean to broadside you with those questions right after you walked in.
I didn't mean to hit you with those difficult questions right after you walked in.
Famille de mots
Astuce mémo
Think of a pirate ship turning its 'broad side' toward an enemy to fire all its cannons at once—a total, overwhelming attack.
Quiz rapide
The unexpected results of the audit ________ the management team, leaving them scrambling for excuses.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : broadsided
Exemples
A speeding van broadsided the delivery truck at the main intersection downtown.
everydayA speeding van hit the side of the delivery truck at the main intersection downtown.
The minister broadsided the opposition's claims during the press conference, calling them baseless.
formalThe minister launched a forceful attack on the opposition's claims during the press conference, calling them baseless.
I didn't mean to broadside you with those questions right after you walked in.
informalI didn't mean to hit you with those difficult questions right after you walked in.
The recent study broadsides the traditional pedagogical methods used in elementary education.
academicThe recent study strongly challenges and attacks the traditional teaching methods used in elementary education.
The tech giant broadsided its competitors by releasing a superior product at half the price.
businessThe tech giant aggressively attacked its competitors by releasing a superior product at half the price.
Famille de mots
Collocations courantes
Phrases Courantes
be broadsided by
To be hit or surprised by something unexpectedly
deliver a broadside
To give a strong verbal or written attack (often used with 'deliver')
caught broadside
To be positioned such that one's side is exposed to an impact
Souvent confondu avec
Broaden means to make something wider or more general, while broadside means to hit the side of something or attack it.
Notes d'usage
While 'broadside' is a noun referring to the side of a ship or a printed sheet, as a verb it is frequently used in journalism and political commentary to describe a harsh critique. In physical contexts, it is almost exclusively used for T-bone style vehicle accidents.
Erreurs courantes
Learners often mistake 'broadside' for a general word for 'hit.' Remember that it specifically implies hitting the side or delivering an attack that hits a wide target area.
Astuce mémo
Think of a pirate ship turning its 'broad side' toward an enemy to fire all its cannons at once—a total, overwhelming attack.
Origine du mot
Originates from 16th-century naval warfare, referring to the simultaneous firing of all guns on one side of a warship.
Modèles grammaticaux
Contexte culturel
The term is heavily used in American political media to describe aggressive debate tactics or scathing editorial pieces.
Quiz rapide
The unexpected results of the audit ________ the management team, leaving them scrambling for excuses.
Correct !
La bonne réponse est : broadsided
Vocabulaire associé
Mots lis
to
A1Used to indicate the place, person, or thing that someone or something moves toward. It can also mark the recipient of an action or the limit of a range.
and
A1A primary conjunction used to connect words, phrases, or clauses that are grammatically equal. It indicates addition, a sequence of events, or a relationship between two things.
a
A1A word used before a singular noun that is not specific or is being mentioned for the first time. It is used only before words that begin with a consonant sound to indicate one of something.
that
A1This word is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate a specific person, object, or idea that is further away in space or time from the speaker. It is also used to refer back to something that has already been mentioned or to introduce a clause that identifies something.
I
A1The pronoun 'I' is used by a speaker or writer to refer to themselves as the subject of a verb. It is the first-person singular subject pronoun in English and is always capitalized regardless of its position in a sentence.
for
A1Used to show who is intended to have or use something, or to explain the purpose or reason for an action. It is also frequently used to indicate a specific duration of time.
not
A1A function word used to express negation or denial. It is primarily used to make a sentence or phrase negative, often following an auxiliary verb or the verb 'to be'.
with
A1A preposition used to indicate that people or things are together, in the same place, or performing an action together. It can also describe the instrument used to perform an action or a characteristic that someone or something has.
he
A1A pronoun used to refer to a male person or animal that has already been mentioned or is easily identified. It functions as the subject of a sentence.
you
A1Used to refer to the person or people that the speaker is addressing. It is the second-person pronoun used for both singular and plural subjects and objects.
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