side issue
An issue or topic which is not of direct significance to a primary concern.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“Let's focus on the main problem, not side issues.”
“The manager refused to discuss side issues until the budget crisis was resolved.”
“Amid the heated debate over healthcare reform, the senator dismissed questions about her travel expenses as a side issue, urging the committee to return to the legislation at hand.”
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bright side
A consoling aspect of a difficult situation.
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butter one's bread on both sides
To profit from two things at the same time, especially when those things seem contradictory or incompatible.
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err on the side of
To behave in a manner which favours or which is biased toward.
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err on the side of caution
To act in the least risky manner in a situation in which one is uncertain about the consequences.
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fudge the issue
Adopt a solution to a specific problem which does not address the larger, more general problem of which the specific problem is an instance.
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get out of bed on the wrong side
To start the day in a bad mood for no apparent reason.
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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.
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have time on one's side
To not be rushed; to have plenty of time to do something.
Last updated August 10, 2026