lateral

/'lætərəl/

Thân thiện

The quarterback throws a lateral to the running back.

Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Relating to the side: "Lateral" describes something positioned at, directed toward, or coming from the side of something, as opposed to the front, back, top, or bottom.
   • Away from the midline: In anatomy and biology, "lateral" refers to a position farther from the median plane (the imaginary line dividing the body into left and right halves).

2. Noun:

   • A sideways pass: In American and Canadian football, a "lateral" is a pass thrown sideways or backward to a teammate, as opposed to a forward pass.

Examples of Usage

• Adjective: The building has a lateral entrance on the north side.The patient experienced pain in the lateral part of the knee.The tree's lateral roots spread widely to anchor it.

• Noun: The quarterback threw a lateral to the running back to avoid a loss of yards.The play ended with a series of quick laterals as the team tried to score.

Advanced Usage

• "Lateral thinking": A method of solving problems indirectly and creatively, by using reasoning that is not immediately obvious or traditional. We need some lateral thinking to overcome this marketing challenge.

• "Lateral move": In a career context, a change to a different job at a similar level of responsibility and pay, rather than a promotion. She made a lateral move to the finance department to gain broader experience.

Variants and Related Words

• Laterally (adverb): Toward, from, or in a side direction.
• Bilateral (adjective): Involving or relating to two sides.
• Unilateral (adjective): Performed by or affecting only one person, group, or country involved in a situation.

Synonyms

• Side (adjective/noun): Located at or on the side.
• Sideways (adjective/adverb): Directed to or from the side.

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Note: "Lateral" is not commonly used to form phrasal verbs. The related phrases are fixed expressions.)

Related Idioms

• "Lateral thinking": As described in 'Advanced Usage', this is a common idiom referring to creative problem-solving.
• "Lateral pass": In sports, synonymous with the noun definition of a sideways or backward pass.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. lying away from the median and sagittal plane of a body
   • lateral lemniscus
2. situated at or extending to the side
   • the lateral branches of a tree
   • shot out sidelong boughs- Tennyson

Noun

1. a pass to a receiver upfield from the passer

Từ đồng nghĩa

• sidelong
• lateral pass