A broadside is a powerful attack from the side, or a forceful verbal criticism delivered all at once.

The word comes from naval warfare, when wooden warships would turn sideways to an enemy ship and fire all their cannons simultaneously. These ships had dozens of cannons arranged along their sides, and a broadside attack unleashed tremendous firepower in a single devastating moment. Imagine the thunderous roar and the chaos as cannonballs tore through the enemy's hull, all from one coordinated blast.

Today, we use broadside to describe any fierce attack that comes from the side. A car that gets hit broadside is struck on its side door by another vehicle (sometimes called being T-boned). This kind of collision is especially dangerous because the side of a car has less protection than the front or back.

The word also describes a harsh verbal attack. When a senator delivers a broadside against a proposed law, she's unleashing all her strongest arguments at once, like those naval cannons firing together. A newspaper editorial might launch a broadside against corruption in city government, holding nothing back in its criticism.

Whether it's cannons, cars, or criticism, a broadside hits hard and comes from the side, catching its target off guard with overwhelming force.