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back
I. \ˈbak\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English bak, back, from Old English bæc; akin to Old High German bah back, Old Norse bak, Old High German bahho side of bacon
1.
a.
(1) : the rear part of the human body extending from the neck to the end of the spine, especially the portion from shoulder to waist
< turned his back to the fire >
< trudging down the road with a load on his back >
(2) : the whole body considered as the wearer of clothing
< food for his belly and a fine blue uniform for his back >
(3) : capacity especially for labor, effort, or endurance
< imposing crushing burdens on the backs of the working class >
< know where you desire to go in life and put your back into getting there — Architect & Building News >
b. : the corresponding part of the body of vertebrates other than man : dorsum
< ride on a horse's back >
< a bird with reddish coloring on back and wings >
< an odd marking along the back of a snake >
c. : the backbone or the muscles and ligaments of this part of the body
< break your back >
< strain her back >
d. : a surface analogous to this portion of a vertebrate
< riding the backs of waves >
e. : the portion of a tanned leather hide resulting from cutting longitudinally down the backbone of the hide and trimming off the head and belly
f. : backbone 3
g. in leapfrog : the position of the player who is to be jumped over
< make a back >
also : the player who is jumped over
2.
a.
(1) : the side or surface of something that is opposite to the side that is regarded as its front or face
< the back of the head >
or that is opposite to the more important, functional, or useful side
< scribbling his verses on the backs of old letters >
< the dingy back of the hotel contrasting with its brilliant facade >
(2) : the side that is opposite to the side approached or seen
< the back of the mountain >
< the back of the door >
(3) : the side or part of any object or space that is most remote from the observer or from its front or forward part
< the chorus was massed at the back of the stage >
< moved to the back of the room >
< a journey into the thinly settled back of the province >
b.
(1) : the upper, outer, or convex side or part of something as opposed to the inner, lower, or concave side or part
< rest a hand on the back of a handrail >
< the back of an arch >
< back of a hoop >
(2) : the upper surface of a beam
(3) : the side of a piece of printer's type opposite the belly — see type illustration
(4) : the roof, arch, or top surface of mine workings
(5) : the mass of ore existing above a mine working — sometimes used in plural
(6) : a plane of cleavage in a coal seam
c. : the side or edge of something opposite to a side or edge designed for grasping, cutting, or striking
< the back of a knife >
< the back of a saw >
< the back of an ax >
d. : the portion of a chair that supports the back of a sitter
e. : backing
f.
(1) : the last few pages of a book
(2) : the inside margin of a printed page
g. : the reverse of a currency note
h. : backyard
< leave a bicycle in the back >
i. : the main or longest leaf of a leaf spring
j. : the upper part or convex portion of a saw tooth
3. of a bird dog : the action of backing
4. : the part of the upper surface of the tongue behind the front and lying opposite the soft palate when the tongue is at rest
5.
a. : a primarily defensive player (as in soccer or polo) with a position nearest his own goal — compare forward
b. : a rugby player who is not a forward; especially : fullback
c. : a primarily offensive player in football whose position is behind that of his linemen
< starred as a triple-threat back >
— see fullback, halfback, quarterback
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- at one's back
- behind one's back
- in back of
- the back of beyond
- the back of one's hand
- the back of one's mind
- with one's back to the wall
II. adverb
Etymology: Middle English bak, from bak, n.
1.
a. : to or toward the rear : to or toward a place away from any place regarded as the front, center, or forward position
< move back from the front lines >
< move back in a bus >
< ask the crowd to move back from the scene of an accident >
b. : at the rear or a position behind : at a place considered away from the front, center, or forward position
< a chapter beginning several pages back >
< left his friends two miles back >
c. : in or into the past
< to look back on his youth >
< an event back in the last century >
: ago
< several years back >
< met him in the street two days back >
d. : at an angle off the vertical
< banks slant evenly back from the highway >
especially : in a reclining position
< lying back in the boat — Frank Gallagher >
< lie back on a couch >
e.
(1) : in a condition of check or restraint
< would have leaped if his friends had not held him back >
< poverty may hold a talented man back >
< hold back a laugh >
(2) : in a delayed or retarded condition : in a condition less advanced or advantageous than before — often used with set
< landslides set the construction job back many days >
< unfortunate speculations set the firm back >
f. : in one's keeping or possession — usually used of something that should be given up, yielded, or declared freely
< hold back part of the money >
< keep back the truth >
g. : in arrears
< he was back in payment of rent >
h. : backstage 1
2.
a. : to, toward, or in a place from which a person or thing came or was taken
< go back for something left behind >
< go back home >
< put a book back >
b. : to or toward a former condition : to or toward a former or original state (as of activity, consciousness, or productivity)
< go back to private life >
< go back to barbarism >
< needed two transfusions to bring him back — Bill Alcine >
< good farming practices were needed to bring the fields back >
c.
(1) : in repayment or return (as of a loan or favor)
< gave back the borrowed money >
(2) : in retaliation
< hit him right back >
(3) : in reply usually in the manner of a retort
< repressed a strong impulse to talk back >
or a retraction
< refused to take back his charges >
or a withdrawal
< drew back from his earlier promise >
3. : over
< read your shorthand notes back >
III. adjective
Etymology: Middle English bak, from bak, n.
1.
a. : being at the back or in the rear
< the back door >
< the back porch >
< a back alley >
b. : distant from a center of population or habitation or off the main routes of travel
< back settlements >
< the near woodlands and back pastures afford good hunting — American Guide Series: Tennessee >
< a back river port >
< back roads and picturesque lanes >
c. comparative sometimes backer : articulated at or toward the back of the oral passage
< the vowels \ü\ and \ä\ and \g\ in go are back sounds >
2.
a. : overdue : in arrears
< pay back rent due for several months >
b. : due for services performed prior to the latest pay period
< a retroactive increase results in back wages for workers >
3.
a. : moving or operating backward
< back action with oars that drives a boat sternward >
b. : moved or moving in a return direction
< pick up back cargo >
< back freight >
< a back current >
c. : constituting the second 9 holes of an 18-hole golf course
< play the back nine in record time >
4. of a publication : not current
< a back number of a magazine >
< a back issue >
IV. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: back (I)
transitive verb
1.
a. : to support or help by physical, moral, or financial assistance : uphold : strengthen or encourage by aid or influence — often used with up
< back a candidate for office >
< back up his son >
specifically : to move into a position behind (a teammate) in order to assist in a play (as in stopping an offensive play in football or by retrieving a missed ball in baseball or cricket)
b. : to increase the persuasive or logical force of : substantiate — often used with up
< back up an argument with forceful illustrations >
c. : to bet on the success of
< back a racehorse >
d. : countersign, endorse
< the warrant … had to be backed or countersigned by a magistrate of the county to which the offender had fled — Edward Jenks & D.J.L.Davies >
< back a check >
also : to assume financial responsibility for : provide financial security for
< back an enterprise >
< back a currency >
e. : to supply the first stage of exhaustion in a pumping operation in connection with (another pump)
< a mechanical rotary pump backing an oil diffusion pump >
2. : to get upon the back of : mount
< back a horse >
especially : to break (a horse) to the saddle
3.
a. : to drive, force, or cause to move back, retreat, recede, or go in reverse — often used with up
< back a car into a garage >
< back a car up >
< back a propeller at full speed >
b. : to articulate (a sound) with the tongue further back
4.
a. : to make or form a back for : furnish with a back : put a back to — often used with up, sometimes with off
< a row of hills backs the town >
< back a skirt with stiff material >
< back up a bookcase with cardboard >
< back off a wall with bricks >
b. : to be at the back of — often used with up
< a barn backing the house >
< a row of garages back the building up >
c.
(1) : to print the second sides of (a sheet with one printed side) : perfect, reiterate; especially : to so print in close register — often used with up
(2) : to fill (an electrotype shell) with molten metal to form a printing plate — often used with up
(3) : to reinforce (a stereotype matrix) to enable to withstand molten-metal pressure in molding
d. : to widen the backbone of (an unbound book) by spreading the backs of the sections gradually from the center of the back thereby forming longitudinal ridges at each side in order to strengthen (the book) and facilitate attachment of the cover
e. : to provide (a film or plate) with a photographic backing
5. dialect : to write an address on (an envelope)
6. of a bird dog : to assume pointing stance behind (another dog that has pointed a covey of birds)
7. : to fasten a weight (as a second anchor) to the rear of (an anchor) to increase holding power
8. : to brace (a sail) so that the wind presses upon the forward side thus checking headway or driving the bow over onto a new course
intransitive verb
1. : to move backward
< back up three paces >
< backed off in preparation for his leap >
< backed away from the door >
2. of a bird dog : to stop and point behind another pointing dog
3. of the wind : to shift in a counterclockwise direction — opposed to veer
4. : to have the back in the direction of and often close to something — used with on, onto, or against
< seaside resorts … seem to back onto the sea, instead of facing it — Stephen Potter >
< house backs onto a wall >
Synonyms: see recede
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- back and fill
V. noun
(-s)
Etymology: Dutch bak, from Middle Dutch bac, from Old French, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin bacca water vessel — more at basin
: a large shallow vat : a cistern, tub, or trough used (as by brewers, dyers, or gluemakers) especially for mixing or cooling wort or holding water or hot glue
VI. abbreviation
backwardation
VII. transitive verb
: to provide a musical accompaniment for — often used with up
< a song is categorized as “country” if it is backed up with a steel guitar — Robert Windeler >
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