noun
blindside
BLYND-syd
noun
1
The side or direction a person can't see, especially where a driver has no view of traffic or hazards.
"The cyclist appeared on the truck's blindside just as it turned."
"He was hit from his blindside and never saw it coming."
verb
1
To attack, criticize, or catch someone off guard from a direction they were not watching.
"The announcement blindsided the whole department."
"She was blindsided by the sudden layoff."
How to Use Blindside
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo catch someone completely by surprise, usually with bad news, from a direction they weren't watching.
Common pairings
blindside someone
caught on the blindside
blindside tackle
Word Forms
blindsided past tense, blindsides plural, blindsides singular
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The cyclist appeared on the truck's _____ just as it turned.
Etymology
A compound of blind and side, originally describing the unseen side of a moving vehicle before it took on its figurative "catch someone off guard" sense.