Near Side and Off Side
Preserved but no longer current.
Left side and right side. "Near wheel" means that to the driver's left hand; and "near horse" (in a pair) means that to the left hand of the driver. In a four-in- hand the two horses on the left side of the coachman are the near wheeler and the near leader. Those on the right-hand side are "off" horses. This, which seems an anomaly, arose when the driver walked beside his team.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Near Side and Off Side” mean?
Left side and right side. "Near wheel" means that to the driver's left hand; and "near horse" (in a pair) means that to the left hand of the driver. In a four-in- hand the two horses on the left side of the coachman are the near wheeler and the near leader. Those on the right-hand side are "off" horses. This, which seems an anomaly, arose when the driver walked beside his team.
Is “Near Side and Off Side” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.