| 释义 |
backfriend|ˈbækˌfrɛnd|
[f. back n. or adv. Perh. orig. a friend who ‘kept back,’ and did not come forward to assist, and so was no real friend.]
†1. A pretended or false friend; an enemy who pretends friendship; a secret or unavowed enemy. Obs.
1472Sir J. Paston in Lett. 692 III. 40, I harde somwhat by hym off a bakke ffrende off yowr. 1574T. Newton Health Mag. 75 Corrupte and unpure Ayre is unto all age a greate backefriende and enemie. 1611Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. xv. 772 Westmorland thought it safest to checke the Scots as the neerer and continuall backefriends. 1684T. Burnet Th. Earth II. 180 As S. Jerome was an open enemy to this doctrine, so Eusebius was a back friend to it. 1725Wodrow Corr. (1843) III. 108 My back friend, Mr. Bruce, has now another and heavier author to deal with than I, Bishop Burnet. 1827Southey Life & Corr. (1850) V. 321 But I have had backfriends..as well as enemies.
2. A friend who stands at one's back, a backer.
1599Nashe Lent Stuffe (1871) 77 Faithful confederates and back-friends. 1823Scott Quentin D. vi, I had in case of the worst a stout back-friend in this uncle of mine.
3. (dial.) A hangnail.
1864N. & Q. Ser. iii. V. 25/1 The troublesome splinters of skin which are often formed near the roots of the nails are called stepmother's blessings..back-friends. |