BACK

back

(adjective) related to or located at the back; “the back yard”; “the back entrance”

back

(adjective) of an earlier date; “back issues of the magazine”

back, backward

(adverb) in or to or toward a past time; “set the clocks back an hour”; “never look back”; “lovers of the past looking fondly backward”

back, backward, backwards, rearward, rearwards

(adverb) at or to or toward the back or rear; “he moved back”; “tripped when he stepped backward”; “she looked rearward out the window of the car”

back

(adverb) in repayment or retaliation; “we paid back everything we had borrowed”; “he hit me and I hit him back”; “I was kept in after school for talking back to the teacher”

back

(adverb) in or to or toward a former location; “she went back to her parents’ house”

back

(adverb) in or to or toward an original condition; “he went back to sleep”

back

(adverb) in reply; “he wrote back three days later”

back

(noun) (American football) the position of a player on a football team who is stationed behind the line of scrimmage

back, backrest

(noun) a support that you can lean against while sitting; “the back of the dental chair was adjustable”

back

(noun) the part of a garment that covers the back of your body; “they pinned a ‘kick me’ sign on his back”

binding, book binding, cover, back

(noun) the protective covering on the front, back, and spine of a book; “the book had a leather binding”

rear, back

(noun) the side that goes last or is not normally seen; “he wrote the date on the back of the photograph”

back, dorsum

(noun) the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine; “his back was nicely tanned”

back, rear

(noun) the part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer; “he stood at the back of the stage”; “it was hidden in the rear of the store”

back

(noun) (football) a person who plays in the backfield

back

(verb) strengthen by providing with a back or backing

back, back up

(verb) establish as valid or genuine; “Can you back up your claims?”

back

(verb) shift to a counterclockwise direction; “the wind backed”

back

(verb) travel backward; “back into the driveway”; “The car backed up and hit the tree”

back

(verb) cause to travel backward; “back the car into the parking spot”

back

(verb) support financial backing for; “back this enterprise”

back, endorse, indorse, plump for, plunk for, support

(verb) be behind; approve of; “He plumped for the Labor Party”; “I backed Kennedy in 1960”

second, back, endorse, indorse

(verb) give support or one’s approval to; “I’ll second that motion”; “I can’t back this plan”; “endorse a new project”

back

(verb) be in back of; “My garage backs their yard”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology 1

Adjective

back (not generally comparable, comparative more back, superlative most back)

Near the rear.

Not current.

Far from the main area.

In arrear; overdue.

Moving or operating backward.

(comparable, phonetics) Pronounced with the highest part of the body of the tongue toward the back of the mouth, near the soft palate (most often describing a vowel).

Usage notes

In linguistic use (sense 6), the comparative backer and superlative backest are usual; these may also be occasionally found for other senses, especially informally.

Synonyms

• (near the rear): rear

• (not current): former, previous

• (far from the main area): remote

Antonyms

• (near the rear, phonetics): front

• (not current): current

• (far from the main area): main

Adverb

back (comparative further back, superlative furthest back)

(not comparable) To or in a previous condition or place.

Away from the front or from an edge.

In a manner that impedes.

(not comparable) In a reciprocal manner; in return.

Earlier, ago.

Postposition

back

Before now, ago

Noun

back (plural backs)

The rear of the body, especially the part between the neck and the end of the spine and opposite the chest and belly.

The spine and associated tissues.

(slang, uncountable) Large and attractive buttocks.

(figurative) The part of a piece of clothing which covers the back.

The backrest, the part of a piece of furniture which receives the human back.

(obsolete) That part of the body that bears clothing. (Now used only in the phrase clothes on one's back.)

That which is farthest away from the front.

The side of any object which is opposite the front or useful side.

The side of a blade opposite the side used for cutting.

The reverse side; the side that is not normally seen.

Area behind, such as the backyard of a house.

The part of something that goes last.

(sports) In some team sports, a position behind most players on the team.

(figuratively) Upper part of a natural object which is considered to resemble an animal's back.

A support or resource in reserve.

(nautical) The keel and keelson of a ship.

(mining) The roof of a horizontal underground passage.

(slang, uncountable) Effort, usually physical.

A non-alcoholic drink (often water or a soft drink), to go with hard liquor or a cocktail.

Among leather dealers, one of the thickest and stoutest tanned hides.

Synonyms

• (side opposite the visible side): reverse

• (rear of the body): dorsum

Hyponyms

• (lower rear of the body): See buttocks

Antonyms

• (side opposite the front or useful side): front

• (that which is farthest away from the front): front

Coordinate terms

• (non-alcoholic drink): chaser

Verb

back (third-person singular simple present backs, present participle backing, simple past and past participle backed)

(intransitive) To go in the reverse direction.

(transitive) To support.

(nautical, of the wind) To change direction contrary to the normal pattern; that is, to shift anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, or clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

(nautical, of a square sail) To brace the yards so that the wind presses on the front of the sail, to slow the ship.

(nautical, of an anchor) To lay out a second, smaller anchor to provide additional holding power.

(UK, of a hunting dog) To stand still behind another dog which has pointed.

(transitive) To push or force backwards.

(transitive, obsolete) To get upon the back of; to mount.

(transitive, obsolete) To place or seat upon the back.

To make a back for; to furnish with a back.

To adjoin behind; to be at the back of.

To write upon the back of, possibly as an endorsement.

(legal, of a justice of the peace) To sign or endorse (a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender).

To row backward with (oars).

Antonyms

• (nautical: of the wind): veer

Etymology 2

Noun

back (plural backs)

A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc.

A ferryboat.

Source: Wiktionary

Back, n. Etym: [F. bac: cf. Arm. bak tray, bowl.]

1. A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc. Hop back, Jack back, the cistern which receives the infusion of malt and hops from the copper.

– Wash back, a vat in which distillers ferment the wort to form wash.

– Water back, a cistern to hold a supply of water; esp. a small cistern at the back of a stove, or a group of pipes set in the fire box of a stove or furnace, through which water circulates and is heated.

2. A ferryboat. See Bac, 1

Back, n. Etym: [As bæc, bac; akin to Icel., Sw., & LG. bak, Dan. bag; cf. OHG. bahho ham, Skr. bhaj to turn, OSlav. b flight. Cf. Bacon.]

1. In human beings, the hinder part of the body, extending from the neck to the end of the spine; in other animals, that part of the body which corresponds most nearly to such part of a human being; as, the back of a horse, fish, or lobster.

2. An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge. [The mountains] their broad bare backs upheave Into the clouds. Milton.

3. The outward or upper part of a thing, as opposed to the inner or lower part; as, the back of the hand, the back of the foot, the back of a hand rail. Methought Love pitying me, when he saw this, Gave me your hands, the backs and palms to kiss. Donne.

4. The part opposed to the front; the hinder or rear part of a thing; as, the back of a book; the back of an army; the back of a chimney.

5. The part opposite to, or most remote from, that which fronts the speaker or actor; or the part out of sight, or not generally seen; as, the back of an island, of a hill, or of a village.

6. The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge; as, the back of a knife, or of a saw.

7. A support or resource in reserve. This project Should have a back or second, that might hold, If this should blast in proof. Shak.

8. (Naut.)

Definition: The keel and keelson of a ship.

9. (Mining)

Definition: The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage.

10. A garment for the back; hence, clothing. A bak to walken inne by daylight. Chaucer. Behind one's back, when one is absent; without one's knowledge; as, to ridicule a person behind his back.

– Full back, Half back, Quarter back (Football), players stationed behind those in the front line.

– To be or lie on one's back, to be helpless.

– To put, or get, one's back up, to assume an attitude of obstinate resistance (from the action of a cat when attacked.). [Colloq.] -- To see the back of, to get rid of.

– To turn the back, to go away; to flee.

– To turn the back on one, to forsake or neglect him.

Back, a.

1. Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as, the back door; back settlements.

2. Being in arrear; overdue; as, back rent.

3. Moving or operating backward; as, back action. Back charges, charges brought forward after an account has been made up.

– Back filling (Arch.), the mass of materials used in filling up the space between two walls, or between the inner and outer faces of a wall, or upon the haunches of an arch or vault.

– Back pressure. (Steam Engine) See under Pressure.

– Back rest, a guide attached to the slide rest of a lathe, and placed in contact with the work, to steady it in turning.

– Back slang, a kind of slang in which every word is written or pronounced backwards; as, nam for man.

– Back stairs, stairs in the back part of a house; private stairs. Also used adjectively. See Back stairs, Backstairs, and Backstair, in the Vocabulary.

– Back step (Mil.), the retrograde movement of a man or body of men, without changing front.

– Back stream, a current running against the main current of a stream; an eddy.

– To take the back track, to retrace one's steps; to retreat. [Colloq.]

Back, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Backed (; p. pr. & vb. n. Backing.]

1. To get upon the back of; to mount. I will back him [a horse] straight. Shak.

2. To place or seat upon the back. [R.] Great Jupiter, upon his eagle backed, Appeared to me. Shak.

3. To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as, to back oxen.

4. To make a back for; to furnish with a back; as, to back books.

5. To adjoin behind; to be at the back of. A garden . . . with a vineyard backed. Shak. The chalk cliffs which back the beach. Huxley.

6. To write upon the back of; as, to back a letter; to indorse; as, to back a note or legal document.

7. To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence; as, to back a friend. "Parliament would be backed by the people." Macaulay. Have still found it necessary to back and fortify their laws with rewards and punishments. South. The mate backed the captain manfully. Blackw. Mag.

8. To bet on the success of; -- as, to back a race horse. To back an anchor (Naut.), to lay down a small anchor ahead of a large one, the cable of the small one being fastened to the crown of the large one.

– To back the field, in horse racing, to bet against a particular horse or horses, that some one of all the other horses, collectively designated "the field", will win.

– To back the oars, to row backward with the oars.

– To back a rope, to put on a preventer.

– To back the sails, to arrange them so as to cause the ship to move astern.

– To back up, to support; to sustain; as, to back up one's friends.

– To back a warrant (Law), is for a justice of the peace, in the county where the warrant is to be executed, to sign or indorse a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender.

– To back water (Naut.), to reverse the action of the oars, paddles, or propeller, so as to force the boat or ship backward.

Back, v. i.

1. To move or go backward; as, the horse refuses to back.

2. (Naut.)

Definition: To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; -- used of the wind.

3. (Sporting)

Definition: To stand still behind another dog which has poined; -- said of a dog. [Eng.] To back and fill, to manage the sails of a ship so that the wind strikes them alternately in front and behind, in order to keep the ship in the middle of a river or channel while the current or tide carries the vessel against the wind. Hence: (Fig.) To take opposite positions alternately; to assert and deny. [Colloq.] -- To back out, To back down, to retreat or withdraw from a promise, engagement, or contest; to recede. [Colloq.] Cleon at first . . . was willing to go; but, finding that he [Nicias] was in earnest, he tried to back out. Jowett (Thucyd. )

Back, adv. Etym: [Shortened from aback.]

1. In, to, or toward, the rear; as, to stand back; to step back.

2. To the place from which one came; to the place or person from which something is taken or derived; as, to go back for something left behind; to go back to one's native place; to put a book back after reading it.

3. To a former state, condition, or station; as, to go back to private life; to go back to barbarism.

4. ( Of time) In times past; ago. "Sixty or seventy years back." Gladstone.

5. Away from contact; by reverse movement. The angel of the Lord . . . came, and rolled back the stone from the door. Matt. xxvii. 2.

6. In concealment or reserve; in one's own possession; as, to keep back the truth; to keep back part of the money due to another.

7. In a state of restraint or hindrance. The Lord hath kept thee back from honor. Numb. xxiv. 11.

8. In return, repayment, or requital. What have I to give you back! Shak.

9. In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking; as, he took back0 the offensive words.

10. In arrear; as, to be back in one's rent. [Colloq.] Back and forth, backwards and forwards; to and fro.

– To go back on, to turn back from; to abandon; to betray; as, to go back on a friend; to go back on one's professions. [Colloq.]

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

BACK

Etymology 1

Adjective

Usage notes

Synonyms

Antonyms

Adverb

Postposition

Noun

Synonyms

Hyponyms

Antonyms

Coordinate terms

Verb

Antonyms

Etymology 2

Noun

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