释义 |
▪ I. backer, n.1|ˈbækə(r)| [f. back v. + -er1.] He who or that which backs. 1. a. A supporter; esp. one who bets on a horse or event; one who supports by money or credit. spec. One who finances the production of a play, film, etc.
1583Babington Commandm. 380 A backer to beare out my foule oppressions. 1838Dickens Nich. Nick. i. 1 When fortune is low and backers scarce. 1850Lytton My Novel ix. ix. 86 ‘Take any odds against him that his backers may give,’ said L'Estrange. 1888G. O. Seilhamer Hist. Amer. Theatre I. 19 The first ‘backer’ of an American theatrical enterprise, to use a modern phrase, was William Hallam. 1898J. Hollingshead Gaiety Chron. 363 The risk rested entirely on my individual shoulders. I..never had a ‘backer’. 1930Economist 16 Aug. 312/1 In the United States.. well-known finance houses..have become the backers of the big American film corporations. b. backer-up: a person who backs or backs up (something or somebody) (see back v., esp. sense 8).
1921Dict. Occup. Terms (1927) §499 Backer-up..assists sawyer to push wood up to power-driven circular saw. Ibid. §524 Backer-up, prepares back of copper shell received from electrotyper..by brushing it with acid. 1922Joyce Ulysses 648 Given a backerup, if one were forthcoming. 1952R. Sherbrooke-Walker Khaki & Blue vi. 56 In referring to the part-time Air Force defenders, the expressive, if homely, title of ‘Backers-up’ was to yield place to ‘Station Personnel’. 1953S. J. Baker Australia Speaks v. 124 The accomplice of a woman who works a ginger on a client—i.e. robs him—is a backer-up, and the practice is called backing up. 2. Arch. ‘A narrow slate put on the back of a broad square-headed slate when the slates begin to get narrow.’ P. Nicholson Pract. Builder 1823. †3. Arith. The rule of three reversed. Cf. advancer 3. Obs. But perhaps backer is here the adj., q.v.
1543Recorde, etc. Gr. Arts (1640) 180 That the greater the third summe is above the first, the lesser the fourth summe is beneath the second: and this rule therefore you may call the Backer or Reverse Rule. ▪ II. ˈbacker, n.2 [f. back n. + -er1.] A porter, carrier, or unloader. ‘In common use in the docks.’ J. M. Cowper. ▪ III. backer obs. form of baker. ▪ IV. backer, backey vulgar contr. of tobacco. Also backa, backy, bakky. Cf. bacca, bacco, baccy.
1823E. Moor Suffolk Words 13 Backa, tobacco. 1824W. Oliver Coll. of Local Songs 9 If he's drinking gills o' yell, or axing pennies ti buy bakky. 1825J. T. Brockett Gloss. N. Country Words 10 Leet thee pipe, And tyek a blast o' backy! 1828Night Watch II. 159, I got this letter, which I have in my backey fob, from her. 1848Dickens Dombey xxxviii. 383 ‘You'll smoke your pipe..won't you?’..‘Yes; I'll take my bit of backer.’ 1863H. Kingsley A. Elliot xxi, Bits of backer pipe. 1885C. M. Yonge Nuttie's Father I. vi. 61 ‘It is a smoking carriage,’ said Miss Nugent... ‘Beautiful backy—a perfect nosegay,’ said Gerard. ▪ V. † ˈbacker, a. Obs. [f. back a. + -er3.] Farther back, hinder, posterior.
1564Three 15th C. Chron. (1880) 130 Backer parts. 1575Turbervile Falconrie 310 Deplume hir head behinde in the backer part. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts 492 A hole bored in the backer part of his crooked horn. 1621Quarles Argalus & P. (1678) 87 Her dishevell'd hair..Hung loosly down, and vail'd the backer part. |