Aside means to the side or out of the way. When you step aside to let someone pass in a hallway, you move over so they have room. When you set aside money for a special purchase, you're putting it away separately instead of spending it right away.

In theater, an aside is when an actor turns toward the audience and speaks thoughts that the other characters supposedly can't hear. It's like sharing a secret with the viewers. Shakespeare used asides frequently: a character might say something revealing to the audience while the villain stands just a few feet away, completely unaware.

The phrase aside from means “except for” or “besides.” You might say, “Aside from math, I finished all my homework,” meaning math is the one subject you haven't completed yet. Or you could say, “Aside from being tired, I feel great,” meaning tiredness is the only problem, but otherwise everything's fine.

When you put joking aside or set your differences aside, you're deliberately moving those things out of the way so you can focus on what really matters. The word suggests a gentle, temporary movement rather than tossing something away completely.