backset

[ bak-set ]
See synonyms for backset on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. New England, Southern, and South Midland U.S.

    • a setback; relapse; reverse.

    • an eddy or countercurrent.

  2. (on a lock on a door or the like) the horizontal distance between the face through which the bolt passes and the center line of the knob stem or keyhole.

Origin of backset

1
First recorded in 1565–75; back2 + set

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use backset in a sentence

  • Your hard luck has certainly taken a turn for the better, Matt, and we want to make sure that you don't have any more backsets.

    Motor Matt's Hard Luck | Stanley R. Matthews
  • He's had backsets, but in the end he's succeeded in everything he's tried.

    The Rock of Chickamauga | Joseph A. Altsheler