be‧side S3 W2 / bɪsaɪd / 介词

1 next to or very close to the side of someone or something :

Wendy came up and sat beside me.

the table beside the bed

I was standing right beside her at the time. ► Do not confuse beside (=next to) and besides (=in addition to) : He sat down beside Mary. | Who was there besides you?

2 in comparison with something or someone :

This year’s sales figures don’t look very good beside last year’s results.

The children seemed tiny beside him.

3 be beside yourself to be feeling so angry, excited etc that you find it difficult to control yourself :

The poor girl was almost beside herself.

be beside yourself with anger/excitement/rage etc

Mom and Dad will be beside themselves with worry.

4 be beside the point to not be directly connected with the main subject or problem that you are talking about :

He’s very charming, but that’s beside the point.

THESAURUS

next to 介词 very close to someone or something, with no other person, building, place etc in between : I sat next to him at dinner. | The hotel was right next to the airport.

beside 介词 next to the side of someone or something : Ella came and sat down beside me. | They were sitting beside the pool.

by 介词 next to something – often used about being very close to a window, door, or the edge of something such as an area of water : I saw him standing by the window. | Weymouth is a pretty little town by the sea. | She lives by the river.

next door 副词 in the building or room next to yours, or next to another one : The house next door is much bigger than ours. | Have you met the people who’ve just moved in next door?

alongside 副词 , 介词 close to the side of something, especially a river, railway, boat, or vehicle : I decided to take the path alongside the railway track. | A police car pulled up alongside.

adjacent 形容词 , 副词 formal a building, room, or piece of land that is adjacent to another one is next to it : They walked through a rose garden adjacent to the hospital. | The blaze spread to two adjacent buildings.

adjoining 形容词 formal an adjoining room, building, or piece of land is one that is next to another one and is joined to it : We had adjoining rooms at the hotel.