sideboards: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, colloquial (for facial hair); Formal/Neutral (for furniture).
Quick answer
What does “sideboards” mean?
Strips of hair grown down the sides of a man's face in front of the ears, often as part of a beard style.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Strips of hair grown down the sides of a man's face in front of the ears, often as part of a beard style.
A furniture piece (a sideboard) for holding dishes, cutlery, or serving food, typically used in dining rooms. Note: The plural form 'sideboards' for this furniture meaning is less common than 'sideboard'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In the UK, 'sideboards' is the standard, common term for strips of facial hair. In the US, the term is largely unknown for facial hair; 'sideburns' is used instead. For furniture, both use 'sideboard' (singular).
Connotations
In the UK, it has neutral to slightly old-fashioned connotations for facial hair. In the US, if understood, it sounds distinctly British.
Frequency
High frequency in UK informal speech for facial hair; very low to zero frequency in US for this meaning. Furniture meaning has medium frequency in formal/domestic contexts in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “sideboards” in a Sentence
He has/grew/shaves his sideboards.The sideboards are/wer/were trimmed.A sideboard stands in the dining room.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sideboards” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He's decided to sideboard his look this year.
- He's been sideboarding for months.
American English
- Not used as a verb.
adjective
British English
- He had a very sideboarded appearance.
- The sideboard style is making a comeback.
American English
- Not used as an adjective.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in discussions of personal grooming policies.
Academic
Rare, except in historical/sociological studies of fashion.
Everyday
Common in UK conversation referring to male facial hair.
Technical
Not used in technical fields; barbering/cosmetology uses 'sideburns' or more specific terms.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sideboards”
- Using 'sideboards' in American English to mean facial hair (will cause confusion).
- Using plural 'sideboards' for a single piece of furniture (awkward).
- Confusing with 'sideburns' (US) in translation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Sideboards are specifically the strips of hair in front of the ears, which can be part of a larger beard or exist on their own on a otherwise shaven face.
For facial hair, it is not recommended as it is not widely understood. Use 'sideburns' instead. For furniture, 'sideboard' (singular) is perfectly fine.
It's a folk etymology alteration of 'sideburns', which itself came from 'burnsides', named after 19th-century American general Ambrose Burnside, who sported prominent facial hair of that style.
No, it's a coincidence of word formation. The furniture term is much older (from 'side' + 'board', a table at the side). The facial hair term derived from 'sideburns' and was influenced by the pre-existing furniture word.
Strips of hair grown down the sides of a man's face in front of the ears, often as part of a beard style.
Sideboards is usually informal, colloquial (for facial hair); formal/neutral (for furniture). in register.
Sideboards: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsaɪd.bɔːdz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsaɪd.bɔːrdz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “On the sideboards (rare, potentially humorous for being involved or having a stake).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the hair growing down the SIDE of the board (jawline) of your face.
Conceptual Metaphor
FACIAL HAIR IS FURNITURE (The term originates from 'burnsides' (Ambrose Burnside), later reversed to 'sideburns', then influenced by the word 'sideboard' (furniture), conceptualizing the face as having 'boards' or panels at the sides).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common meaning of 'sideboards' in contemporary British English?