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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.
COLLAPSE00:10
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Get back
is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal. |
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
verb (used with object)
1.
to receive or come to have possession, use, or enjoyment of: to get a birthday present; to get a pension.
2.
to cause to be in one's possession or succeed in having available for one's use or enjoyment; obtain; acquire: to get a good price after bargaining; to get oil by drilling; to get information.
3.
to go after, take hold of, and bring (something) for one's own or for another's purposes; fetch: Would you get the milk from the refrigerator for me?
4.
to cause or cause to become, to do, to move, etc., as specified; effect: to get one's hair cut; to get a person drunk; to get a fire to burn; to get a dog out of a room.
5.
EXPANDto communicate or establish communication with over a distance; reach: You can always get me by telephone.
6.
to hear or hear clearly: I didn't get your last name.
7.
to acquire a mental grasp or command of; learn: to get a lesson.
8.
to capture; seize: Get him before he escapes!
9.
to receive as a punishment or sentence: to get a spanking; to get 20 years in jail.
10.
to prevail on; influence or persuade: We'll get him to go with us.
11.
to prepare; make ready: to get dinner.
12.
(especially of animals) to beget.
13.
Informal. to affect emotionally: Her pleas got me.
14.
to hit, strike, or wound: The bullet got him in the leg.
15.
Informal. to kill.
16.
Informal. to take vengeance on: I'll get you yet!
17.
to catch or be afflicted with; come down with or suffer from: He got malaria while living in the tropics. She gets butterflies before every performance.
18.
Informal. to puzzle; irritate; annoy: Their silly remarks get me.
19.
COLLAPSEInformal. to understand; comprehend: I don't get the joke. This report may be crystal-clear to a scientist, but I don't get it.
verb (used without object)
20.
to come to a specified place; arrive; reach: to get home late.
21.
to succeed, become enabled, or be permitted: You get to meet a lot of interesting people.
22.
to become or to cause oneself to become as specified; reach a certain condition: to get angry; to get sick.
23.
(used as an auxiliary verb followed by a past participle to form the passive): to get married; to get elected; to get hit by a car.
24.
EXPANDto succeed in coming, going, arriving at, visiting, etc. (usually followed by away, in, into, out, etc.): I don't get into town very often.
25.
to bear, endure, or survive (usually followed by through or over): Can he get through another bad winter?
26.
to earn money; gain.
27.
Informal. to leave promptly; scram: He told us to get.
28.
COLLAPSEto start or enter upon the action of (followed by a present participle expressing action): to get moving; Get rolling.
noun
Verb phrases29.
an offspring or the total of the offspring, especially of a male animal: the get of a stallion.
30.
a return of a ball, as in tennis, that would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent.
31.
British Slang.
a.
something earned, as salary, profits, etc.: What's your week's get?
b.
a child born out of wedlock.
32.
get about,
a.
to move about; be active: He gets about with difficulty since his illness.
b.
to become known; spread: It was supposed to be a secret, but somehow it got about.
c.
Also, get around.to be socially active: She's been getting about much more since her family moved to the city.
33.
get across,
a.
to make or become understandable; communicate: to get a lesson across to students.
b.
to be convincing about; impress upon others: The fire chief got across forcefully the fact that turning in a false alarm is a serious offense.
34.
get ahead, to be successful, as in business or society: She got ahead by sheer determination.
35.
get ahead of,
a.
to move forward of, as in traveling: The taxi got ahead of her after the light changed.
b.
to surpass; outdo: He refused to let anyone get ahead of him in business.
36.
EXPAND37.
get around,
a.
to circumvent; outwit.
b.
to ingratiate oneself with (someone) through flattery or cajolery.
c.
to travel from place to place; circulate: I don't get around much anymore.
38.
get at,
a.
to reach; touch: to stretch in order to get at a top shelf.
b.
to suggest, hint at, or imply; intimate: What are you getting at?
c.
to discover; determine: to get at the root of a problem.
d.
Informal. to influence by surreptitious or illegal means; bribe: The gangsters couldn't get at the mayor.
39.
get away,
a.
to escape; flee: He tried to get away, but the crowd was too dense.
b.
to start out; leave: The racehorses got away from the starting gate.
40.
get away with, to perpetrate or accomplish without detection or punishment: Some people lie and cheat and always seem to get away with it.
41.
get by,
a.
to succeed in going past: to get by a police barricade.
b.
to manage to exist, survive, continue in business, etc., in spite of difficulties.
c.
to evade the notice of: He doesn't let much get by him.
42.
get down,
a.
to bring or come down; descend: The kitten climbed the tree, but then couldn't get down again.
b.
to concentrate; attend: to get down to the matter at hand.
c.
to depress; discourage; fatigue: Nothing gets me down so much as a rainy day.
d.
to swallow: The pill was so large that he couldn't get it down.
e.
to relax and enjoy oneself completely; be uninhibited in one's enjoyment: getting down with a bunch of old friends.
43.
get in,
a.
to go into a place; enter: He forgot his key and couldn't get in.
b.
to arrive; come: They both got in on the same train.
c.
to become associated with: He got in with a bad crowd.
d.
to be chosen or accepted, as for office, membership, etc.: As secretary of the club, his friend made sure that he got in.
e.
to become implicated in: By embezzling money to pay his gambling debts quickly, he was getting in further and further.
44.
get off,
a.
to escape the consequences of or punishment for one's actions.
b.
to help (someone) escape punishment: A good lawyer might get you off.
c.
to begin a journey; leave: He got off on the noon flight.
d.
to leave (a train, plane, etc.); dismount from (a horse); alight.
e.
to tell (a joke); express (an opinion): The comedian got off a couple of good ones.
f.
Informal. to have the effrontery: Where does he get off telling me how to behave?
g.
Slang: Vulgar. to experience orgasm.
h.
to experience or cause to experience a high from or as if from a drug.
i.
to cause to feel pleasure, enthusiasm, or excitement: a new rock group that gets everyone off.
45.
get on/along,
a.
to make progress; proceed; advance.
b.
to have sufficient means to manage, survive, or fare.
c.
to be on good terms; agree: She simply can't get on with her brothers.
d.
to advance in age: He is getting on in years.
46.
get out,
a.
to leave (often followed by of): Get out of here! We had to get out of the bus at San Antonio.
b.
to become publicly known: We mustn't let this story get out.
c.
to withdraw or retire (often followed by of): He decided to get out of the dry goods business.
d.
to produce or complete: Let's get this work out!
47.
48.
get through,
a.
to succeed, as in meeting, reaching, or contacting by telephone (usually followed by to): I tried to call you last night, but I couldn't get through.
b.
to complete; finish: How he ever got through college is a mystery.
c.
to make oneself understood: One simply cannot get through to her.
49.
COLLAPSEget to,
a.
to get in touch or into communication with; contact: It was too late by the time he got to the authorities.
b.
Informal. to make an impression on; affect: This music really gets to you.
c.
to begin: When he gets to telling stories about the war, there's no stopping him.
50.
get back,
a.
to come back; return: When will you get back?
b.
to recover; regain: He got back his investment with interest.
c.
to be revenged: She waited for a chance to get back at her accuser.
51.
get even. even1 (def. 26).
52.
get going,
a.
to begin; act: They wanted to get going on the construction of the house.
b.
to increase one's speed; make haste: If we don't get going, we'll never arrive in time.
53.
get it, Informal.
a.
to be punished or reprimanded: You'll get it for breaking that vase!
b.
to understand or grasp something: This is just between us, get it?
54.
EXPANDget it off, Slang: Vulgar. to experience orgasm.
55.
get it on,
a.
Informal. to work or perform with satisfying harmony or energy or develop a strong rapport, as in music: a rock group really getting it on with the audience.
b.
Slang: Vulgar. to have sexual intercourse.
56.
get it up, Slang: Vulgar, to achieve an erection of the penis.
57.
get off on, Slang. to become enthusiastic about or excited by: After years of indifference, she's getting off on baseball.
58.
get round. get around.
59.
get the lead out. lead2 (def. 15).
60.
get there, to reach one's goal; succeed: He wanted to be a millionaire but he died before he got there.
61.
get together,
a.
to accumulate; gather: to get together a portfolio of 20 stocks.
b.
to congregate; meet: The alumnae chapter gets together twice a year.
c.
to come to an accord; agree: They simply couldn't get together on matters of policy.
62.
get up,
a.
to sit up or stand; arise.
b.
to rise from bed.
c.
to ascend or mount.
d.
to prepare; arrange; organize: to get up an exhibit.
e.
to draw upon; marshal; rouse: to get up one's courage.
f.
to acquire a knowledge of.
g.
(to a horse) go! go ahead! go faster!
h.
to dress, as in a costume or disguise: She got herself up as an astronaut.
i.
to produce in a specified style, as a book: It was got up in brown leather with gold endpapers.
63.
COLLAPSEhas/have got,
a.
to possess or own; have: She's got a new car. Have you got the tickets?
b.
must (followed by an infinitive): He's got to get to a doctor right away.
c.
to suffer from: Have you got a cold?
Origin:
1150–1200; (v.) Middle English geten < Old Norse geta to obtain, beget; cognate with Old English -gietan (> Middle English yeten), German -gessen, in vergessen to forget; (noun) Middle English: something gotten, offspring, derivative of the v.
1150–1200; (v.) Middle English geten < Old Norse geta to obtain, beget; cognate with Old English -gietan (> Middle English yeten), German -gessen, in vergessen to forget; (noun) Middle English: something gotten, offspring, derivative of the v.
Related forms
get·ta·ble, get·a·ble, adjective
Synonyms
1, 2. Get, obtain, acquire, procure, secure imply gaining possession of something. Get may apply to coming into possession in any manner, and either voluntarily or not. Obtain suggests putting forth effort to gain possession, and acquire stresses the possessing after an (often prolonged) effort. Procure suggests the method of obtaining, as that of search or choice. Secure, considered in bad taste as a would-be-elegant substitute for get, is, however, when used with discrimination, a perfectly proper word. It suggests making possession sure and safe, after obtaining something by competition or the like. 2. win, gain. 7. apprehend, grasp. 10. induce, dispose. 12. engender.
1, 2. Get, obtain, acquire, procure, secure imply gaining possession of something. Get may apply to coming into possession in any manner, and either voluntarily or not. Obtain suggests putting forth effort to gain possession, and acquire stresses the possessing after an (often prolonged) effort. Procure suggests the method of obtaining, as that of search or choice. Secure, considered in bad taste as a would-be-elegant substitute for get, is, however, when used with discrimination, a perfectly proper word. It suggests making possession sure and safe, after obtaining something by competition or the like. 2. win, gain. 7. apprehend, grasp. 10. induce, dispose. 12. engender.
Usage note
For nearly 400 years, forms of get have been used with a following past participle to form the passive voice: She got engaged when she was 19. He won't get accepted with those grades. This use of get rather than of forms of to be in the passive is found today chiefly in speech and informal writing.EXPAND
In British English got is the regular past participle of get, and gotten survives only in a few set phrases, such as ill-gotten gains. In American English gotten, although occasionally criticized, is an alternative standard past participle in most senses, especially in the senses “to receive” or “to acquire”: I have gotten (or got) all that I ever hoped for.
Have or has got in the sense “must” has been in use since the early 19th century; often the have or has is contracted: You've got to carry your passport at all times. The use of have (or has) got in the sense of “to possess” goes back to the 15th century; it is also frequently contracted: She's got a master's degree in biology. These uses are occasionally criticized as redundant on the grounds that have alone expresses the meaning adequately, but they are well established and fully standard in all varieties of speech and writing. In some contexts in American English, substituting gotten for got produces a change in meaning: She's got (possesses) a new job. She's gotten (has aquired) a new job. He's got to (must) attend the wedding. He's gotten to (has been allowed or enabled to) attend. The children have got (are suffering from) the measles. The children have gotten (have caught) the measles. The use of got without have or has to mean “must” (I got to buy a new suit) is characteristic of the most relaxed, informal speech and does not occur in edited writing except in representations of speech. Gotta is a pronunciation spelling representing this use.
COLLAPSE
For nearly 400 years, forms of get have been used with a following past participle to form the passive voice: She got engaged when she was 19. He won't get accepted with those grades. This use of get rather than of forms of to be in the passive is found today chiefly in speech and informal writing.EXPAND
In British English got is the regular past participle of get, and gotten survives only in a few set phrases, such as ill-gotten gains. In American English gotten, although occasionally criticized, is an alternative standard past participle in most senses, especially in the senses “to receive” or “to acquire”: I have gotten (or got) all that I ever hoped for.
Have or has got in the sense “must” has been in use since the early 19th century; often the have or has is contracted: You've got to carry your passport at all times. The use of have (or has) got in the sense of “to possess” goes back to the 15th century; it is also frequently contracted: She's got a master's degree in biology. These uses are occasionally criticized as redundant on the grounds that have alone expresses the meaning adequately, but they are well established and fully standard in all varieties of speech and writing. In some contexts in American English, substituting gotten for got produces a change in meaning: She's got (possesses) a new job. She's gotten (has aquired) a new job. He's got to (must) attend the wedding. He's gotten to (has been allowed or enabled to) attend. The children have got (are suffering from) the measles. The children have gotten (have caught) the measles. The use of got without have or has to mean “must” (I got to buy a new suit) is characteristic of the most relaxed, informal speech and does not occur in edited writing except in representations of speech. Gotta is a pronunciation spelling representing this use.
COLLAPSE
Pronunciation note
The pronunciation
[git] for get has existed since the 16th century. The same change is exhibited in [kin] for can and [yit] for yet. The pronunciation [git] is not regional and occurs in all parts of the country. EXPANDIt is most common as an unstressed syllable: Let's get going! [lets-git-goh-ing]. In educated speech the pronunciation [git] in stressed syllables is rare and sometimes criticized. When get is an imperative meaning “leave immediately,” the pronunciation is usually facetious: Now get! [nou-git].
COLLAPSE
The pronunciation
[git] for get has existed since the 16th century. The same change is exhibited in [kin] for can and [yit] for yet. The pronunciation [git] is not regional and occurs in all parts of the country. EXPANDIt is most common as an unstressed syllable: Let's get going! [lets-git-goh-ing]. In educated speech the pronunciation [git] in stressed syllables is rare and sometimes criticized. When get is an imperative meaning “leave immediately,” the pronunciation is usually facetious: Now get! [nou-git]. COLLAPSE
adjective
1.
of, pertaining to, or belonging to oneself or itself (usually used after a possessive to emphasize the idea of ownership, interest, or relation conveyed by the possessive): He spent only his own money.
2.
(used as an intensifier to indicate oneself as the sole agent of some activity or action, preceded by a possessive): He insists on being his own doctor.
verb (used with object)
3.
to have or hold as one's own; possess: They own several homes.
4.
to acknowledge or admit: to own a fault.
5.
to acknowledge as one's own; recognize as having full claim, authority, power, dominion, etc.: He owned his child before the entire assembly. They owned the king as their lord.
verb (used without object)
Idioms6.
to confess (often followed by to, up, or up to): The one who did it had better own up. I own to being uncertain about that.
7.
come into one's own,
a.
to take possession of that which is due or owed one.
b.
to receive the recognition that one's abilities merit: She finally came into her own as a sculptor of the first magnitude.
8.
get one's own back, to get revenge and thereby a sense of personal satisfaction, as for a slight or a previous setback; get even with somebody or something: He saw the award as a way of getting his own back for all the snubs by his colleagues.
9.
hold one's own,
a.
to maintain one's position or condition: The stock market seems to be holding its own these days.
b.
to be equal to the opposition: He can hold his own in any fight.
10.
of one's own, belonging to oneself: She had never had a room of her own.
11.
on one's own,
a.
by dint of one's own efforts, resources, or sense of responsibility; independently: Because she spoke the language, she got around the country very well on her own.
b.
living or functioning without dependence on others; independent: My son's been on his own for several years.
Origin:
before 900; (adj.) Middle English owen, Old English āgen (cognate with German eigen, Old Norse eigenn), orig. past participle of āgan to possess (see owe); (v.) Middle English ownen, Old English āgnian, āhnian, derivative of āgen
before 900; (adj.) Middle English owen, Old English āgen (cognate with German eigen, Old Norse eigenn), orig. past participle of āgan to possess (see owe); (v.) Middle English ownen, Old English āgnian, āhnian, derivative of āgen
Related forms
non·own·ing, adjective
un·owned, adjective
Antonyms
3. lack, need.
3. lack, need.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
|
Link To get back
Collins
World English Dictionary
| get back | |
| —vb (often foll by to) (foll by at) | |
| 1. | (tr) to recover or retrieve |
| 2. | to return, esp to a former position or activity: let's get back to the original question |
| 3. | to retaliate (against); wreak vengeance (on) |
| 4. | informal get one's own back to obtain one's revenge |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
get
c.1200, from O.N. geta "to obtain, reach" (p.t. gatum, pp. getenn), from P.Gmc. *getan (cf. O.E. begietan "to beget," O.Swed. gissa "to guess," lit. "to try to get"), from PIE base *ghe(n)d- "seize" (cf. Gk. khandanein "to hold, contain," Lith. godetis "be eager," second element in L. prehendere "to
EXPANDgrasp, seize," Welsh gannu "to hold, contain," O.C.S. gadati "to guess, suppose"). Meaning "to seize mentally, grasp" is from 1892. O.E., as well as Du. and Fris., had the root only in compounds (cf. beget, forget). Vestiges of O.E. cognate *gietan remain obliquely in pp. gotten and original pt. gat. The word and phrases built on it take up 29 columns in the OED 2nd edition. Slang get over "recover, rebound" is from 1687. Getaway "escape" is from 1852. Get-up "equipment or costume" is from 1847. Get-rich-quick (adj.) is from 1902. Get wind of "become acquainted with" is from 1840, from earlier to get wind "to get out, become known" (1722).
own
evolved in early M.E. from O.E. geagnian, from root agan "to have, to own" (see own), and in part from own (adj.) (q.v.). It became obsolete after c.1300, but was revived early 17c., in part as a back-formation of owner (mid-14c.), which continued. To own up "make full confession" is from 1853.
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.
To 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.
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
|
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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get (so's) definition
|
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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American Heritage
Idioms & Phrases
get back
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Also get back to. Return to a person, place, or condition. For example, What time will you get back? or I hope he'll get back to the subject of this report. [c. 1600]
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Recover something, as in When will I get this book back? [c. 1800]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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