back

adj

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.? Proto-Germanic *baką Proto-West Germanic *bak Old English bæc Middle English bak English back From Middle English bak, from Old English bæc, from Proto-West Germanic *bak, from Proto-Germanic *baką, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg- (“to bend”). The adverb represents an aphetic form of aback. Compare Middle Low German bak (“back”), from Old Saxon bak, and West Frisian bekling (“chair back”), Old High German bah, Swedish and Norwegian bak. Cognate with German Bache (“sow [adult female hog]”).

1. At or near the rear.

   “Go in the back door of the house.”

   “Nothing was too small to receive attention, if a supervising eye could suggest improvements likely to conduce to the common welfare. Mr. Gordon Burnage, for instance, personally visited dust-bins and back premises, accompanied by a sort of village bailiff, going his round like a commanding officer doing billets.”

2. Returned or restored to a previous place or condition.

   “He was on vacation, but now he’s back.”

   “The office fell into chaos when you left, but now order is back.”

3. Not current.

   “I’d like to find a back issue of that magazine.”

4. Situated away from the main or most frequented areas.

   “They took a back road.”

   “He lives out in the back country.”

5. In arrears; overdue.

   “They still owe three months’ back rent.”

   “Several of the former Hotel York workers have filed with the California Labor Division to collect what they feel is owed them in the way of back overtime.”

6. Moving or operating backward.

   “back action”

7. Pronounced with the highest part of the body of the tongue toward the back of the mouth, near the soft palate (most often describing a vowel).

   “The vowel of lot has a back vowel in most dialects of England.”

adv

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.? Proto-Germanic *baką Proto-West Germanic *bak Old English bæc Middle English bak English back From Middle English bak, from Old English bæc, from Proto-West Germanic *bak, from Proto-Germanic *baką, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg- (“to bend”). The adverb represents an aphetic form of aback. Compare Middle Low German bak (“back”), from Old Saxon bak, and West Frisian bekling (“chair back”), Old High German bah, Swedish and Norwegian bak. Cognate with German Bache (“sow [adult female hog]”).

1. To or in a previous condition or place.

   “He gave back the money.”

   “I left my mobile phone back at the hotel. I’ll have to go back and get it.”

2. In a direction opposite to that in which someone or something is facing or normally pointing.

   “Someone pushed me in the chest and I fell back.”

   “The grandfather clock toppled back and crashed to the ground.”

3. In a direction opposite to the usual or desired direction of movement or progress, physically or figuratively.

   “Wind the film back a few frames.”

   “Don’t forget to put the clocks back by one hour tonight!”

4. Towards, into or in the past.

   “These records go back years.”

   “He built a time machine and travelled back to 1800.”

5. Away from someone or something; at a distance.

   “Keep back! It could explode at any moment!”

6. Away from the front or from an edge.

   “Sit all the way back in your chair.”

   “Step back from the curb.”

7. So as to shrink, recede or move aside, or cause to do so.

   “This tree is dying back.”

   “Clear back all this vegetation.”

8. In a manner that impedes.

   “Fear held him back.”

9. In a reciprocal manner; in return.

   “If you hurt me, I’ll hurt you back.”

   “The light bounces back off the mirror.”

10. Earlier, ago.

    “We met many years back.”

    “I last saw him a day or two back.”

11. To a later point in time. See also put back.

    “The meeting has been moved back an hour. It was at 3 o’clock; now it's at 4 o’clock.”

name

1. A surname.
2. A settlement on the Isle of Lewis, Western Isles council area, Scotland (OS grid ref NB4840).

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree French bacbor. English back Borrowed from French bac.

1. A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc.
2. A ferryboat.

verb

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.? Proto-Germanic *baką Proto-West Germanic *bak Old English bæc Middle English bak English back From Middle English bak, from Old English bæc, from Proto-West Germanic *bak, from Proto-Germanic *baką, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg- (“to bend”). The adverb represents an aphetic form of aback. Compare Middle Low German bak (“back”), from Old Saxon bak, and West Frisian bekling (“chair back”), Old High German bah, Swedish and Norwegian bak. Cognate with German Bache (“sow [adult female hog]”).

1. To go in the reverse direction.

   “The train backed into the station.”

   “The horse refuses to back.”

2. To support.

   “I back you all the way.”

   “Which horse are you backing in this race?”

3. To change direction contrary to the normal pattern; that is, to shift anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, or clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
4. To brace the yards so that the wind presses on the front of the sail, to slow the ship.
5. To lay out a second, smaller anchor to provide additional holding power.
6. To stand still behind another dog which has pointed.
7. To push or force backwards.

   “to back oxen”

   “The mugger backed her into a corner and demanded her wallet.”

8. To get upon the back of; to mount.

   “I will back him [a horse] straight.”

   “The horse was the grey stallion he aye rode, the very beast he had ridden for many a wager with the wild lads of the Cross Keys. No man but himself durst back it, and it had lamed many a hostler lad and broke two necks in its day.”

9. To place or seat upon the back.

   “Great Jupiter, upon his eagle backed, / Appeared to me.”

10. To make a back for; to furnish with a back.

    “to back books”

11. To adjoin behind; to be at the back of.

    “He hath a garden circummured with brick, Whose western side is with a vineyard backed”

    “the chalk cliffs which back the beach”

12. To write upon the back of, possibly as an endorsement.

    “to back a letter;  to back a note or legal document”

13. To sign or endorse (a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender).
14. To row backward with (oars).

    “to back the oars”

15. To draw from behind the back (a knife etc.) (as also back out).

    “Sticks and Stones may break my bones Not when I back this botty”

    “When I back this blade, wallahi The hearts get beat like they just saw jihadi”

16. To carry an infant on one’s back.