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noun
1.
the rear part of the human body, extending from the neck to the lower end of the spine.
2.
the part of the body of animals corresponding to the human back.
3.
the rear portion of any part of the body: the back of the head.
4.
the whole body, with reference to clothing: the clothes on his back.
5.
EXPANDability for labor; effort; endurance: He put his back into the task.
6.
the part opposite to or farthest from the front; the rear part: the back of a hall.
7.
the part that forms the rear of any object or structure: the back of a chair.
8.
the part that covers the back: the back of a jacket.
9.
the spine or backbone: The fall broke his back.
10.
any rear part of an object serving to support, protect, etc.: the back of a binder.
11.
Nautical, Aeronautics. the forward side of a propeller blade (opposed to face).
12.
Aeronautics. the top part or upper surface of an aircraft, especially of its fuselage.
13.
Bookbinding. the edge of a book formed where its sections are bound together.
14.
the backs, grounds along the River Cam in back of certain colleges at Cambridge University in England: noted for their great beauty.
15.
Architecture. extrados.
16.
Carpentry.
a.
the upper side of a joist, rafter, handrail, etc.
b.
the area of interior wall between a window stool and the floor.
17.
Mining. the roof of a stope or drift.
18.
COLLAPSEverb (used with object)
19.
to support, as with authority, influence, help, or money (often followed by up): to back a candidate; to back up a theory with facts.
20.
to bet on: to back a horse in the race.
21.
to cause to move backward (often followed by up): to back a car.
22.
to furnish with a back: to back a book.
23.
EXPANDto lie at the back of; form a back or background for: a beach backed by hills.
24.
to provide with an accompaniment: a singer backed by piano and bass.
25.
to get upon the back of; mount.
26.
to write or print on the back of; endorse; countersign.
27.
Carpentry. to attach strips of wood to the upper edge of (a joist or rafter) to bring it to a desired level.
28.
COLLAPSE:10
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Backing out
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
verb (used without object)
29.
to go or move backward (often followed by up).
30.
Nautical. (of wind) to change direction counterclockwise (opposed to veer).
adjective
Verb phrases31.
situated at or in the rear: at the back door; back fence.
32.
far away or removed from the front or main area, position, or rank; remote: back settlements.
33.
belonging to the past: back files; back issues.
34.
EXPANDin arrears; overdue: back pay.
36.
Navigation. reciprocal (def. 7).
37.
COLLAPSEPhonetics. (of a speech sound) produced with the tongue articulating in the back part of the mouth, as in either of the sounds of go.
38.
back away, to retreat; withdraw: They gradually began to back away from their earlier opinion.
39.
back down, to abandon an argument, opinion, or claim; withdraw; retreat: He backed down as soon as a member of the audience challenged his assertion.
40.
back off,
a.
to back down: Now that the time for action had arrived, it was too late to back off.
b.
Textiles. to reverse (the spindle) in mule spinning prior to winding on the newly spun length of yarn.
41.
back out (of), to fail to keep an engagement or promise; withdraw from; abandon: Two entrants have backed out of competing in the marathon. You can't back out now.
42.
EXPANDback up,
a.
to bring (a stream of traffic) to a standstill: A stalled car backed up traffic for miles.
b.
Printing. to print a sheet again on its other side.
c.
Printing. to fill in (the thin copper shell of an electrotype) with metal in order to strengthen it.
d.
to move backward: Back up into the garage.
e.
to reinforce: We backed up the cardboard with slats so it wouldn't fall down.
f.
to support or confirm: He backed up my story and they let us go.
g.
Computers. to duplicate (a file or a program) as a precaution against failure.
43.
COLLAPSEback up for, Australian Informal. to return for more of, as another helping of food.
44.
back and fill,
a.
Nautical. to trim the sails of a boat so that the wind strikes them first on the forward and then on the after side.
b.
to change one's opinion or position; vacillate.
45.
back and forth, South Midland U.S.
a.
to go back and forth, as in running errands or visiting: He spent the day backing and forthing to the post office.
b.
to work in an aimless or ineffective way; expend effort with little result.
46.
back water,
a.
Nautical. to reverse the direction of a vessel.
b.
to retreat from a position; withdraw an opinion: I predict that the council will back water on the tax issue.
47.
be flat on one's back,
a.
to be helpless or beaten: He's flat on his back after a long succession of failures.
b.
to be confined to one's bed because of illness.
48.
EXPANDbehind one's back, in one's absence; without one's knowledge; treacherously; secretly: I'd rather talk to him about it directly than discuss it behind his back.
49.
break someone's back, to cause a person to fail, especially to cause to become bankrupt: His family's extravagance is breaking his back.
50.
break the back of,
a.
to complete the principal or hardest part of (a project, one's work, etc.): He finally broke the back of the problem.
b.
to overcome; defeat: They broke the back of our union.
51.
get off one's back, Informal. to cease to find fault with or to disturb someone: The fight started when they wouldn't get off my back.
52.
get one's back up, Informal. to become annoyed; take offense: She gets her back up whenever someone mentions her family's influence.
53.
have one's back to the wall, to be in a difficult or hopeless situation.
54.
in back of, behind: He hid in back of the billboard. What could be in back of his strange behavior? Also, back of.
55.
on one's back, Informal. finding fault with or disturbing someone: The boss is always on my back about promptness.
56.
pat on the back. pat1 (defs. 9, 8).
57.
stab in the back. stab (def. 13).
58.
COLLAPSEturn one's back on,
a.
to forsake or neglect: He was unable to turn his back on any suffering creature.
b.
to leave behind, as in anger.
Origin:
before 1000; Middle English bak, Old English bæc back of the body; cognate with Old Frisian bek, Old Saxon, Old Norse bak; perhaps < Indo-European *bhogo- bending; compare bacon
before 1000; Middle English bak, Old English bæc back of the body; cognate with Old Frisian bek, Old Saxon, Old Norse bak; perhaps < Indo-European *bhogo- bending; compare bacon
Related forms
back·less, adjective
Synonyms
19. sustain, abet, favor, assist; countenance, endorse. 29. retire, retreat, withdraw. 31. Back, hind, posterior, rear refer to something situated behind something else. Back means the opposite of front: back window. Hind, and the more formal word posterior, suggest the rearmost of two or more often similar objects: hind legs; posterior lobe. Rear is used of buildings, conveyances, etc., and in military language it is the opposite of fore: rear end of a truck; rear echelon.
19. sustain, abet, favor, assist; countenance, endorse. 29. retire, retreat, withdraw. 31. Back, hind, posterior, rear refer to something situated behind something else. Back means the opposite of front: back window. Hind, and the more formal word posterior, suggest the rearmost of two or more often similar objects: hind legs; posterior lobe. Rear is used of buildings, conveyances, etc., and in military language it is the opposite of fore: rear end of a truck; rear echelon.
Antonyms
1, 31. front.
1, 31. front.
Usage note
51. Although some object to their use, the phrases in back of and the shorter—and much older—back of with the meaning “behind” are fully established as standard in American English: The car was parked (in) back of the house. Both phrases occur in all types of speech and writing.
51. Although some object to their use, the phrases in back of and the shorter—and much older—back of with the meaning “behind” are fully established as standard in American English: The car was parked (in) back of the house. Both phrases occur in all types of speech and writing.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To backing out
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
back
O.E. bæc "backwards, behind" (see back (n.)). Back-seat driver first attested 1926. The back of (one's) hand has been used to imply contempt and rejection since at least 1300; to know (something) like the back of one's hand, implying familiarity, is first attested 1943.
EXPANDTo be on the back burner in the figurative sense is from 1960, from the image of a cook keeping a pot there to simmer while he or she works on another concoction at the front of the stove. Back-to-nature (adj.) is first attested 1915.
COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary
back (bāk)
n.
The posterior portion of the trunk of the human body between the neck and the pelvis; the dorsum.
The backbone or spine.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Slang Dictionary
back definition
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Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
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