noun
broadside
BRAWD-syd
noun
1
A strong, forceful attack, whether spoken or written.
"The critic launched a broadside against the new policy."
2
Historically, the simultaneous firing of all the guns on one side of a warship.
"The ship fired a broadside at the approaching fleet."
adv
1
Sideways, with the side facing something, especially in a collision.
"The car skidded and hit the wall broadside."
How to Use Broadside
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA forceful attack (in words), or the old naval meaning of firing all guns on one side of a ship at once; also used to mean "sideways."
Common pairings
launch a broadside
hit broadside
Word Forms
broadsided past tense, broadsides plural, broadsides singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “broadside”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The critic launched a _____ against the new policy.
Etymology
From broad + side, originally a naval term for firing all the cannons on one side of a ship at once.