noun
sideswipe
noun
1
A glancing blow delivered from the side, such as one car clipping another while changing lanes.
"The truck took a sideswipe from a car merging too quickly."
2
A sharp, indirect critical remark.
"His speech included a sideswipe at his political rivals."
verb
1
To strike something with a glancing blow from the side.
"The van sideswiped a parked car on the narrow street."
How to Use Sideswipe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA glancing hit from the side, literal or in the form of a cutting remark.
Common pairings
sideswipe a car
a sideswipe at critics
Word Forms
sideswiped past tense, sideswipes plural, sideswipes singular
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The truck took a _____ from a car merging too quickly.
Etymology
A compound of "side" and "swipe".