# one side

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/one-side
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A place where things are stored or reserved, as in

## Examples

- Please set your books one side while we clean the table.
- The carpenter kept the best pieces of wood one side for his personal projects.
- She carefully placed the delicate antique ornaments one side, ensuring they remained protected from the chaos of the moving process.

## Origin

Probably a shortened form of the phrase "move to one side," first recorded as an instruction to clear a path or passage. The expression indicates the physical act of shifting to the edge of a thoroughfare to allow for unobstructed transit. (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.