sideline

10 definitions • 14 examples

an activity that you do as well as your main job:

Jim works in a bank, but teaches French in the evenings as a sideline.

a line that shows the position of the side of an area where a sport is played:

The ball fell just inside/on/outside the sideline.

If a sports player is sidelined they are prevented from playing or competing, and can only watch:

Johnson has been sidelined through injury.

to stop someone taking an active and important part in something:

He was sidelined after criticizing the policy.

an activity that is less important than the main one:

Jean teaches French in the evening as a sideline.

(in some sports, esp. football) a line marking the side of the area of play:

The ball fell just outside the sideline.

fig. I don’t like dancing, I’d rather watch from the sidelines (= not to be directly involved).

to remove a player from a game:

He was sidelined because of injuries.

a business activity that someone does in addition to their main business:

For many companies, producing own-label goods is not a sideline, it's a strategy for growth.

a sideline in sth The company has been developing a sideline in closed-circuit television since buying the electronics business last year.

not being used or not involved in an activity:

The absence of new products is keeping consumers on the sidelines.

stay/wait/sit on the sidelines

to force someone or something into a situation in which they have less influence or importance than before:

After I got pregnant, I felt that my bosses were sidelining me.

The oil industry would be very unhappy if this legislation was sidelined.