back^*bæk(n.)

1. the rear part of the human body, from the neck to the end of the spine.

   Category: Anatomy, Zoology

2. the part of the body of animals corresponding to the human back.

   Category: Anatomy

3. the rear portion of any part of the body:

   the back of the head.

4. the part opposite to or farthest from the front; rear:

   the back of a hall.

5. the part that forms the rear of any object or structure.

6. the part covering the back:

   the back of a jacket.

7. the spine or backbone:

   The fall broke his back.

8. any rear part of an object serving to support, protect, etc.:

   the back of a chair.

9. the side of an object that is less functional, less often seen, etc.:

   the back of an envelope.

10. the whole body, with reference to clothing:

    the clothes on one's back.

11. ability for labor; effort; endurance:

    to put one's back to a task.

12. the edge of a book formed where its sections are bound together.

    Category: Printing

13. (in various sports, as football) a player stationed to the rear of front-line play. the position so occupied.

    Category: Sport

14. (v.t.)to support, as with authority, influence, help, or money:

    to back a candidate.

15. to bet on:

    to back a horse in the race.

16. to cause to move backward (often fol. by up):

    to back a car into a garage.

17. to furnish with a back:

    to back a book.

18. to lie at the back of; form a back or background for.

19. to provide with an accompaniment:

    a singer backed by piano and bass.

20. to get upon the back of; mount.

21. to write or print on the back of; endorse; countersign.

22. (v.i.)to go or move backward (often fol. by up).

23. (of wind) to change direction counterclockwise

    Category: Nautical

    Ref: (opposed to veer ).

24. back away, to retreat; withdraw.

    Category: Verb Phrase

25. back down, to abandon an argument or position.

    Category: Verb Phrase

26. back off, to move back from something; retreat. to back down.

    Category: Verb Phrase

27. back out, to fail to keep an engagement or promise; withdraw.

    Category: Verb Phrase

28. back up, to move or cause to move backward. to reinforce. to support or confirm. to bring (a stream of traffic) to a standstill. to accumulate or become clogged due to a stoppage. to copy (a computer file or program) as a precaution against failure.

    Category: Verb Phrase, Computers

29. (adj.)situated at or in the rear:

    the back door.

30. far away or removed from the front or main area, position, or rank; remote:

    back streets.

31. of or belonging to the past:

    back issues of a magazine.

32. in arrears; overdue:

    back pay.

33. coming or going back; moving backward:

    back current.

34. (of a speech sound) articulated with the tongue in the back part of the mouth, as either of the sounds of

    go.

    Category: Phonetics

Idioms for back:

1. back and fill, to trim the sails of a boat so that the wind strikes them first on the forward and then on the after side. to change one's opinion or position; vacillate.

   Category: Nautical, Idiom, Navy

2. be (flat) on one's back, to be ill, helpless, or overcome by circumstances.

   Category: Idiom

3. behind one's back, without one's knowledge, esp. treacherously or secretly.

   Category: Idiom

4. break the back of, to conquer the most difficult or resistant part of:

   to break the back of urban crime.

   Category: Idiom

5. get one's back up, to become annoyed; take offense.

   Category: Idiom, Informal

6. have one's back to the wall, to be in a difficult or hopeless situation.

   Category: Idiom

7. (in) back of, at the rear of; behind.

   Category: Idiom

8. on someone's back,Informal. nagging or criticizing someone.

   Category: Idiom

^* Syn: back , hind , posterior , rear refer to something situated behind something else. back means the opposite of front: a back window. hind , and the more formal word posterior , refer to the rearmost of two or more, often similar objects: hind wings; posterior lobe. rear is used of buildings, conveyances, etc., and in military language it is the opposite of fore: the rear end of a truck; rear echelon.Usage: Although some object to their use, the phrases in back of and the shorter - and much older - back of with the meaning “behind” are fully established as standard in American English: They played(in)back of the house. Both phrases occur in all types of speech and writing, though behind may be easily substituted if desired.

Origin of back:

bef. 1000; ME bak, OE bæc back of the body, c. OFris bek, OS, ON bak; perh. < IE *bhogo- bending; cf. bacon

back′less(adj.)

backbæk(adv.)

1. at, to, or toward the rear; backward:

   to step back.

2. in or toward the past:

   to look back on one's youth.

3. at or toward the original starting point, place, or condition:

   to go back to one's home town; to put a coat back on.

4. in direct payment or return:

   to pay back a loan; to answer back.

5. in a state of restraint or retention:

   to hold back tears; to hold back salary.

6. in a reclining position:

   to lean back; to lie back.

7. go back on, to fail to keep; renege on: to be faithless to; betray.

   to go back on a promise.

   Category: Verb Phrase

Idioms for back:

1. back and forth, backward and forward; to and fro. from side to side. from one to the other.

   Category: Idiom

Origin of back:

1480–90; aph. form of aback