"Beside myself with joy"

Posted by R. Berg on August 11, 2001

In Reply to: "Beside myself with joy" posted by Sam Hill on August 10, 2001

: What does the expression, "Beside myself with joy", mean.

: Thanks

It means experiencing extreme joy. "Beside" was formerly (15th through 19th centuries) used in phrases to mean "out of a mental state or condition, as 'beside one's patience, one's gravity, one's wits'" (Oxford Engl. Dict.), and that use survives only in "'beside oneself': out of one's wits, out of one's senses.""

• Beside myself ESC 08/11/01