on the side of the angels
3
7.9
- idiom
:
del lado de los ángeles
- He chose to volunteer for the charity because he wants to be on the side of the angels.
- on the side of the angels, says
Examples
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I generally think Andrew is on the side of the angels and a great champion of the cause.
Blog text (24) -
In her speech, she stated that supporting education is on the side of the angels.
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Glad to see you on the side of the angels.
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But I knew in my soul that people like Amber were on the side of the angels.
Fiction book (1990) -
If David Petraeus is our fearless leader, we're on the side of the angels.
Blog text (8) -
Each of us can become great if we stand "on the side of the angels," striving toward goodness and doing value-worthy things.
Blog text (10) -
It was an intense time of heroes and villains, with each side firmly believing they were on the side of the angels.
Blog text (8) -
It was satisfying because it gave me a conviction that in believing in these things, I was on the side of the angels—as no doubt I was, and still am.
Academic text (1991) -
The activists believe they are fighting on the side of the angels for social justice.
Synonyms
260
4.7
Acting in a morally good way that people see as fair
32
4.0
Kind, pure, and innocent in a way that seems like an angel
Antonyms
How Moral
12
4.2
3
7.9
260
4.7
218
3.6
176
3.9
144
4.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
on + the + side + of + the + angel
The phrase uses the transparent construction 'on the side of' (meaning to support a party or position) combined with 'angels', a conventional metaphor for moral goodness; a learner who knows these words can infer 'supporting what is morally right.' Although figurative, the composition is predictable and aligns with common cross-linguistic mappings of siding with a morally good entity.
Etymology
On the side of the angels comes from old plays and pictures where angels stood at one side of a person to show they were on the good team, not the evil one. So to be on the side of the angels means 'supporting what is right'.