wayside

/ˈweɪsaɪd/ (bre, ipa) · [wˈesˌaɪd] /ˈweɪsaɪd/ (ame, ipa) · [wˈesˌaɪd] /ˈwā-ˌsīd How to pronounce wayside (audio)/ (ame, mw)

wayside — noun

1. refers to the idiom 'fall by the wayside', which has two related uses: for peopl

1.名詞B2
釋義

refers to the idiom 'fall by the wayside', which has two related uses: for people, it describes giving up on a goal or failing to finish something they started; for activities, customs, or projects, it describes being abandoned and no longer pursued.

例句

Of the twelve start-ups in the programme, half fell by the wayside in six months.

fall + by the wayside (projects/plans)

Ryo started learning Japanese but the goal fell by the wayside when work got busy.

同義詞
  • give up

    broader in meaning; not tied to competitive contexts or systematic failure

  • drop out

    specifically of leaving a course, race, or programme before finishing

  • abandon

    more formal, used for projects, plans, or ideas rather than people

反義詞
  • persevere

    to continue making an effort despite difficulties

  • see through

    to complete something that was started, especially something difficult

文法句型

fall + by the wayside

用法筆記

Almost always found in the fixed expression 'fall by the wayside'. The subject can be a person who fails to complete something, or an abstract thing such as a plan, rule, or tradition that is no longer followed. The expression is not used in passive form.

常見錯誤

❌My plan waysided after the first month.
✅My plan fell by the wayside after the first month.
💡'wayside' cannot be used as a verb; the correct expression is 'fall by the wayside'.

2. the ground at the edge of a route, such as a street, lane, or walking track.

2.名詞C1
釋義

the ground at the edge of a route, such as a street, lane, or walking track.

例句

Paloma noticed wild bluebells growing along the wayside as she cycled through the valley.

along the wayside (preposition pattern)

The lorry driver pulled over by the wayside to check his tyre pressure.

同義詞
  • roadside

    much more common in everyday speech; neutral register

  • verge

    chiefly British English, specifically the grassy strip beside a road

  • shoulder

    chiefly American English, the paved or hard edge of a road for emergency stops

文法句型

by the wayside

along the wayside

用法筆記

Typically used after a preposition such as 'by', 'along', or 'beside'. The word is far less common than 'roadside' in modern everyday English and carries a slightly literary or formal tone.

常見錯誤

❌I parked my car on the wayside.
✅I parked my car by the wayside.' or 'I parked at the side of the road.
💡'wayside' needs a preposition and is rarely used with 'on'.