How would you use “beside” as an adverb

adverbsprepositions

So in my Collins grammar book, it says that beside is a preposition that can also be used as an adverb, but I can't find any examples of it being used as an adverb.

Was it perhaps a typo? Was it meant to be besides not beside?

Best Answer

No, it is not a typo. Some dictionaries describe the use of beside as an adverb archaic.

Dictionary.com defines it as:

adverb
along the side of something:

  • The family rode in the carriage, and the dog ran along beside.

M-W records two archaic uses of besides:

beside adverb

  1. archaic : NEARBY
  2. archaic : BESIDES

In fact besides comes from beside:

Old English had the phrase be sidan, “by the side of.” OE side meant the flanks of a person, or the long part of anything. By 1200 the phrase was written as one word and used as both adverb and preposition. (dailywritingtips)

Etymonline notes that

The alternative Middle English meaning "outside" is preserved in beside oneself - "out of one's wits" (late 15c.).

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