sideswipe
/ˈsaɪdˌswaɪp/
noun
- A glancing blow or hit along the side of something.
- The cyclist suffered only a minor sideswipe from the passing van.
- A sideswipe from a falling branch cracked the window.
- The car had a dent from a sideswipe in the parking lot.
- A brief, indirect critical remark.
- The debate was full of sideswipes rather than real arguments.
- The review included a sideswipe at the director's previous film.
- Her comment was a sideswipe at my lack of experience.
Synonyms
verb
- To hit the side of a vehicle or object with another vehicle or object, often while passing.
- He tried to change lanes without checking his mirror and sideswiped a motorcycle.
- A car sideswiped my parked truck and left a long scratch.
- The bus sideswiped a tree on the narrow street.
- To criticize someone or something in a brief, indirect way.
- During her speech, she sideswiped the opposition with a clever remark.
- He felt sideswiped by his friend's comment about his cooking.
- The article sideswiped the company's environmental record in just one sentence.