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Glite Dictionary
ringside seat

ringside seat

5 3.7
A place very close to the action at a sporting event or show that lets you watch events up close
  • noun
  • /ˈrɪŋˌsaɪd siːt/
: asiento en primera fila
  • I had a ringside seat at the boxing match, and the action was thrilling.
  • get a ringside seat

I'm talking about in terms of ringside seats last July, not this past July, but July for that Terence Crawford going up against Errol Spence.

Examples

  • From my ringside seat, I could see every detail of the performance.

  • Sonny has a couple of ringside seats for you.

    A Bronx Tale (1993)

  • You got a ringside seat to history.

    The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978)

  • Will you save me a ringside seat?

    Boom Town (1940)

  • "What you have here for the next 24 hours is a ringside seat."

    Blog text (12)

  • Let them enjoy their ringside seats.

    Street Fighter (1994)

  • "It's very easy to make that judgment from a ringside seat.

    Blog text (11)

  • I'm sure you appreciate your ringside seat.

    Blog text (29)

  • And in the meantime, we have ringside seats for the greatest show in the galaxy.

    Fiction book (1991)

  • Buy yourself a ringside seat now, Francisco, before the price soars.

    Fiction book (1997)

Synonyms

ringside
vsringside seat
11 5.8

Seats right next to a boxing or wrestling ring with a clear view

is broader, used for very close seats and for a privileged observing position
courtside
vsringside seat
7 4.1

Seats or area next to a sports court where people sit close to the action

is a general term for very close seats and can be used figuratively

Surface Forms

ringside seat singular
ringside seats plural

Morphology

ringside + seat

The meaning 'a seat very close to the action' is directly compositional from 'ringside' (near the boxing/wrestling ring or the action) + 'seat' (a place to sit). The figurative sense of a privileged or close vantage point is a predictable extension of this literal composition and follows common noun+seat patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The noun ringside seat comes from sports like boxing, where the fighting area is a raised ring and the seats at the side are right next to the action. That's why a ringside seat means being very close to an event or in a special spot 'to watch' and miss nothing.