back-markv.
Sporting slang.
transitive. To put (a competitor) back at the start of a race. Hence, to leave far behind in a contest.
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society > leisure > sport > judging or umpiring > umpire or referee [verb (transitive)] > handicap
handicap1850
back-mark1890
the world > action or operation > prosperity > success > mastery or superiority > have or gain mastery or superiority over [verb (transitive)] > leave far behind
back-mark1890
society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > racing or race > race (a race) [verb (transitive)] > leave behind
to shake off1856
back-mark1890
1890 J. S. Farmer Slang I. (at cited word) To be backmarked..(pedestrian), in handicapping to receive less start from ‘scratch’ than previously given—even to being put back to ‘scratch’.
1895 Field 24 Aug. 315/3 Jersey men eagerly awaited the issue of the race between the amateur champion of the world and their own island champions, not that they ever expected them to back mark Tyers.
1928 Sunday Express 17 June 20/3 I venture the opinion that he would readily back-mark any man in Scotland over a mile course.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1933; most recently modified version published online September 2018).
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