Dictionary

sidestep en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈsaɪdˌstɛp/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *seh₁-der. Proto-Germanic *sīdaz Proto-Germanic *sīdǭ Old English sīde Middle English side English side English step English sidestep From side + step.

Meanings

1. A step to the side.
2. A physical motion or metaphorical act to avoid or dodge something.

Forms

sidestep en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈsaɪdˌstɛp/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *seh₁-der. Proto-Germanic *sīdaz Proto-Germanic *sīdǭ Old English sīde Middle English side English side English step English sidestep From side + step.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To step to the side.
   • Kilmarnock ought to have taken the lead on the stroke of half-time when Hefferman set up Kroca and, although the defender neatly sidestepped his marker, he fired straight into the chest of Enckelman. 2011 October 1, Clive Lindsay, “Kilmarnock 1 - 2 St Johnstone”, in BBC Sport:
   • I […] knocked and waited. […] He sidestepped, and I went in. 1955 October, Rex Stout, “Die Like a Dog”, in Three Witnesses, Bantam, published 1994, →ISBN, page 180:
2. (figuratively, transitive) To avoid or dodge.
   • They sidestepped the issue.
   • It was noticeable that he sidestepped questions about continuation south of Crewe, on the grounds that he must await the report of Sir Ivan Stedeford's Advisory Group. 1960 November 14, “Talking of Trains: That engine change at Crewe”, in Trains Illustrated, page 641:
   • Adams repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether the Justice Department is taking specific steps to seize assets belonging to Putin but suggested that prosecutors have mapped out how the Russian President and wealthy kleptocrats are attempting to hide their money. 2022 May 5, Kara Scannell and Zachary Cohen, “DOJ unwinds complex web in hunt for Russian wealth belonging to Putin and influential players”, in CNN:

Forms

Deriveds

sidestepper

Translations (24)

pl uniknąć ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · cy ochrgamu (to step to the side) · bg страня ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · de ausweichen ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · de vermeiden ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · pl unikać ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · cmn 規避 /规避 ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · de ausweichen (to step to the side) · pl ominąć (to step to the side) · cy ochrgamu ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · pl okrążać (to step to the side) · pl lekceważyć ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · mi wheta ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · bg отстъпвам настрани (to step to the side) · es ladear (to step to the side) · pl zlekceważyć ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · cmn 迴避 /回避 ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · es soslayar ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · pl omijać (to step to the side) · it eludere ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · mi karo ((figurative) to avoid or dodge) · pl okrążyć (to step to the side) · de ausspielen (to step to the side) · bg избягвам ((figurative) to avoid or dodge)