The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word EDGEWISE
I've seen this crossword clue in The Times
E
D
G
E
W
I
S
E
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "on the side" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case on the side = edgewise.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does EDGEWISE mean?
EDGEWISE adjective- Edgeways.
- Edgeways.
- As if by an edge.