What's "have on one's side" mean? Is this a phrasal verb?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

It's not quite a phrasal verb, but it is a common phrase! To be "on someone's side" means to support someone's opinion, actions, or position and to be loyal to them. So the line "have on one's side" means that someone supports someone's opinion or stance. Or rather, here, "everybody" supposedly supported this person's position or actions. Ex: She's on the opposition's side, not our side. Ex: I thought you'd always be on my side, but I guess I was wrong. Ex: We have Charles on our side. He'll vouch for us.

How do native speakers use this expression?

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Popular Q&As

01/20

1
Which noun is the most generally used with "a dash of"?
"A dash of" something is a small amount of something, usually a liquid, that is added very quickly. The most common nouns to use with this expression are liquids that are added when cooking or baking, however it is also common to use the word "salt" here. "A dash" of something is usually a little more than "a pinch". Ex: She added a dash of salt to the soup. Ex: Just a dash of vinegar and the salad dressing is complete. Ex: I like to add a dash of lime juice to the meat.

2
Can I say "find themselves to be left" instead of "find themselves left"?
It is grammatically correct to say "find themselves to be left". However, "to be" is not necessary and makes the sentence not sound as fluent. Therefore, it is best to say this sentence how it is said here.

3
What does "the hell" mean here?
The expression "the hell" here is a swear phrase that is used to make a question or statement sound stronger and more forceful. Ex: What the hell are you doing? Ex: Get the hell away from that dog, he is dangerous.

4
It seems that "Capital R, capital T" refers to the first letter of "real thing", but is this "Capital _" a general expression? When do you use it?
You are correct, "Capital R. Capital T" does refer to the first letter of each word of "real thing." Chandler has said this to emphasize the fact that he thinks he has found real love. "Capital [letter]" is an informal expression that is used commonly to emphasize a point. Ex: He's trouble, with a capital T! Ex: She's not an extreme vegan with a capital V, but sometimes she says controversial things.

5
What is "deep-sixed"?
"Deep-sixed" means to destroy something to the point where it cannot be repaired; to eliminate or discard. Stark is telling Bruce that the data has been destroyed and cannot be fixed or retrieved. This phrase is informal and really isn't all that common. "Destroyed" is more commonly used in this kind of situation. Ex: We need to deep-six the evidence so the crime cannot be traced back to us. Ex: They deep-sixed the machine so that no one could utilize its power ever again. Ex: The criminals deep-sixed the murder weapon.

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