err on the side of
To behave in a manner which favours or which is biased toward.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“I always err on the side of caution when I travel.”
“When you are unsure about the dress code, it is better to err on the side of being too formal.”
“The committee decided to err on the side of transparency, releasing all internal documents to the public to ensure complete trust in their decision.”
- 01
bright side
A consoling aspect of a difficult situation.
- 02
butter one's bread on both sides
To profit from two things at the same time, especially when those things seem contradictory or incompatible.
- 03
err on the side of caution
To act in the least risky manner in a situation in which one is uncertain about the consequences.
- 04
get out of bed on the wrong side
To start the day in a bad mood for no apparent reason.
- 05
get up on the wrong side of the bed
To feel irritable; to be in a bad mood; to have a bad day from the start, for no particular reason.
- 06
have time on one's side
To not be rushed; to have plenty of time to do something.
- 07
know which side one's bread is buttered on
To be aware of where one's interests lie in a situation.
- 08
look on the bright side
To examine a situation, usually unfavorable, from a positive perspective; to be cheerful or optimistic.
Last updated August 10, 2026