Definitions for backwards
back·wards

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. back, backward, backwards, rearward, rearwardsadverb

   at or to or toward the back or rear

   "he moved back"; "tripped when he stepped backward"; "she looked rearward out the window of the car"

2. backward, backwardsadverb

   in a manner or order or direction the reverse of normal

   "it's easy to get the `i' and the `e' backward in words like `seize' and `siege'"; "the child put her jersey on backward"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. backwardsadverb

   Toward the back.

2. backwardsadverb

   In the opposite direction of usual.

   The clock did not work because the battery was inserted backwards.

3. backwardsadverb

   In a manner such that the back precedes the front.

   The tour guide walked backwards while droning on to the bored seniors.

4. backwardsadjective

   Oriented toward the back.

   The battleship had three backwards guns at the stern, in addition to the primary complement.

5. backwardsadjective

   Reversed.

   The backwards lettering on emergency vehicles makes it possible to read in the rear-view mirror.

6. backwardsadjective

   Behind current trends or technology.

   Modern medicine regards the use of leeches as a backwards practice.

7. backwardsadjective

   Clumsy, inept, or inefficient.

   He was a very backwards scholar, but he was a marvel on the football field.

8. Etymology: . See -s#Etymology 3

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Backward, Backwardsadverb

   Etymology: from back and weard, Sax. that is, towards the back.

   1. With the back forwards.

   They went backward, and their faces were backward. Gen. ix.

   2. Towards the back.

   In leaping with weights, the arms are first cast backwards, and then forwards, with so much the greater force; for the hands go backward before they take their rise. Francis Bacon, Nat. H.

   3. On the back.

   Then darting from her malignant eyes,
   She cast him backward as he strove to rise. John Dryden, Æneid.

   4. From the present station to the place behind the back.

   We might have met them dareful, beard to beard,
   And beat them backward home. William Shakespeare, Macbeth.

   The monstrous sight
   Struck them with horrour backward; but far worse
   Urg’d them behind. John Milton, Paradise Lost, b. vi.

   5. Regressively.

   Are not the rays of light, in passing by the edges and sides of bodies, bent several times backwards and forwards with a motion like that of an eel? Isaac Newton, Opticks.

   6. Towards something past.

   To prove the possibility of a thing, there is no argument to that which looks backwards; for what has been done or suffered, may certainly be done or suffered again. South.

   7. Out of the progressive state; reflex.

   No, doubtless; for the mind can backward cast
   Upon herself, her understanding light. John Davies.

   8. From a better to a worse state.

   The work went backward; and the more he strove
   T’ advance the suit, the farther from her love. Dryden.

   9. Past; in time past.

   They have spread one of the worst languages in the world, if we look upon it some reigns backwards. John Locke.

   10. Perversely; from the wrong end.

   I never yet saw man,
   But she would spell him backward; if fair-fac’d,
   She’d swear the gentleman should be her sister;
   If black, why, nature, drawing of an antick,
   Made a foul blot; if tall, a launce ill-headed. William Shakespeare, Much ado about Nothing.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Backwardsadverb

   with the back in advance or foremost; as, to ride backward

2. Backwardsadverb

   toward the back; toward the rear; as, to throw the arms backward

3. Backwardsadverb

   on the back, or with the back downward

4. Backwardsadverb

   toward, or in, past time or events; ago

5. Backwardsadverb

   by way of reflection; reflexively

6. Backwardsadverb

   from a better to a worse state, as from honor to shame, from religion to sin

7. Backwardsadverb

   in a contrary or reverse manner, way, or direction; contrarily; as, to read backwards

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Backwards

   Backwards is the fourth Red Dwarf novel. It is set on the fictional backwards universe version of Earth. The novel was written by Rob Grant on his own. It follows on directly from the second Grant Naylor novel, Better Than Life, ignoring Last Human. As well as continuing the general conceit from the episode Backwards, it contains minor elements from the episode Dimension Jump, and all of the plot from Gunmen of the Apocalypse. An audiobook of Backwards was also produced, read by the author.

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. backwards

   A technical word made use of in the British service to express the retrograde movement of troops from line into column, and vice versa. Also a word of command in the U. S. service, to cause a man, or body of men, to march to the rear without changing front.

British National Corpus

1. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'backwards' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2814

2. Adverbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'backwards' in Adverbs Frequency: #306

Anagrams for backwards »

1. drawbacks

How to pronounce backwards?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say backwards in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of backwards in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of backwards in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of backwards in a Sentence

1. Chris Christie:

   It should have happened a long time ago, we should have been arming the Ukrainians for the last year, we weren't. We should have been doing much more on domestic production of oil, instead we're going backwards, and we gave Putin the card to hold us hostage.

2. Sergio Carbonara:

   The biggest risk is that this would give control to a narrow group of majority shareholders, this would be a step backwards in Italian governance which has seen very positive developments in the last two years.

3. Lamar Odom:

   I'm trying to go forward and trying to move forward. If I do drugs, that's moving backyards. If I live moving backwards, that means I'm living to die.

4. Hillary Clinton:

   I don’t want to see us go backwards, but organized interests fueled by ideology and huge amounts of money are trying to take us backwards. So I feel as strongly today as I ever have that we all have to stand up and defend our country, and most importantly, our democracy.

5. Gladys Moncada:

   Chavista, i wish I could say I still am but the situation is too hard. Everything is going backwards.

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