Dropside

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A configuration in vehicles or containers that includes a side able to be lowered, enhancing ease of access for loading and unloading
2. A feature in certain vehicles or storage units allowing one side to be lowered for convenient loading and unloading purposes
3. A design element in trucks or containers enabling one side to be dropped down, facilitating the transfer of goods and materials

Etymology: "Dropside" is a plain compound: "drop" combined with "side." The noun names a part of a vehicle or storage unit, such as a truck body or crate, whose wall can be lowered so that goods can be loaded or unloaded from that side rather than over the top. The two parts keep their everyday senses. "Drop" here refers to the act of letting something fall or sink downward, which is what the hinged or sliding side does when it is released. "Side" is the familiar word for a lateral wall or edge. Put together, the term describes exactly what the component does: a side that drops.