Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Back

Back

,
Noun.
[F.
bac
: cf. Arm.
bag
,
bak
a bark, D.
bak
tray, bowl.]
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.
Hop back
,
Jack back
,
the cistern which receives the infusion of malt and hops from the copper.
–
Wash back
,
a vat in which distillers ferment the wort to form wash.
–
Water back
,
a cistern to hold a supply of water; esp. a small cistern at the back of a stove, or a group of pipes set in the fire box of a stove or furnace, through which water circulates and is heated.
2.
A ferryboat. See
Bac
, 1.

Back

(băk)
,
Noun.
[AS.
bæc
,
bac
; akin to Icel., Sw., & LG.
bak
, Dan.
bag
; cf. OHG.
bahho
ham, Skr.
bhaj
to turn, OSlav.
bēgŭ
flight. Cf.
Bacon
.]
1.
In human beings, the hinder part of the body, extending from the neck to the end of the spine; in other animals, that part of the body which corresponds most nearly to such part of a human being;
as, the
back
of a horse, fish, or lobster
.
2.
An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge.
[The mountains] their broad bare
backs
upheave
Into the clouds.
Milton.
3.
The outward or upper part of a thing, as opposed to the inner or lower part;
as, the
back
of the hand, the
back
of the foot, the
back
of a hand rail
.
Methought Love pitying me, when he saw this,
Gave me your hands, the
backs
and palms to kiss.
Donne.
4.
The part opposed to the front; the hinder or rear part of a thing;
as, the
back
of a book; the
back
of an army; the
back
of a chimney
.
5.
The part opposite to, or most remote from, that which fronts the speaker or actor; or the part out of sight, or not generally seen;
as, the
back
of an island, of a hill, or of a village
.
6.
The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge;
as, the
back
of a knife, or of a saw
.
7.
A support or resource in reserve.
This project
Should have a
back
or second, that might hold,
If this should blast in proof.
Shakespeare
8.
(Naut.)
The keel and keelson of a ship.
9.
(Mining)
The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage.
10.
A garment for the back; hence, clothing.
[Obs.]
A
bak
to walken inne by daylight.
Chaucer.
Behind one’s back
,
when one is absent; without one's knowledge;
as, to ridicule a person
behind his back
.
–
Full back
,
Half back
,
Quarter back
(Football)
,
players stationed behind those in the front line.
–
To be on one's back
or
To lie on one's back
,
to be helpless.
–
To put one's back up
or
to get one's back up
,
to assume an attitude of obstinate resistance (from the action of a cat when attacked).
[Colloq.]
–
To see the back of
,
to get rid of.
–
To turn the back
,
to go away; to flee.
–
To turn the back on one
,
to forsake or neglect him.

Back

,
Adj.
1.
Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote;
as, the
back
door;
back
settlements
.
2.
Being in arrear; overdue;
as,
back
rent
.
3.
Moving or operating backward;
as,
back
action
.

Back

(băk)
,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Backed
(băkt)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Backing
.]
1.
To get upon the back of; to mount.
I will
back
him [a horse] straight.
Shakespeare
2.
To place or seat upon the back.
[R.]
Great Jupiter, upon his eagle
backed
,
Appeared to me.
Shakespeare
3.
To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede;
as, to
back
oxen
.
4.
To make a back for; to furnish with a back;
as, to
back
books
.
5.
To adjoin behind; to be at the back of.
A garden . . . with a vineyard
backed
.
Shakespeare
The chalk cliffs which
back
the beach.
Huxley.
6.
To write upon the back of;
as, to
back
a letter
; to indorse;
as, to
back
a note or legal document
.
7.
To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence;
as, to
back
a friend
.
“The Parliament would be backed by the people.”
Macaulay.
Have still found it necessary to
back
and fortify their laws with rewards and punishments.
South.
The mate
backed
the captain manfully.
Blackw. Mag.
8.
To bet on the success of; – as, to back a race horse.
To back an anchor
(Naut.)
,
to lay down a small anchor ahead of a large one, the cable of the small one being fastened to the crown of the large one.
–
To back the field
,
in horse racing, to bet against a particular horse or horses, that some one of all the other horses, collectively designated “the field”, will win.
–
To back the oars
,
to row backward with the oars.
–
To back a rope
,
to put on a preventer.
–
To back the sails
,
to arrange them so as to cause the ship to move astern.
–
To back up
,
to support; to sustain;
as, to
back up
one's friends
.
–
To back a warrant
(Law)
,
is for a justice of the peace, in the county where the warrant is to be executed, to sign or indorse a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender.
–
To back water
(Naut.)
,
to reverse the action of the oars, paddles, or propeller, so as to force the boat or ship backward.

Back

,
Verb.
I.
1.
To move or go backward;
as, the horse refuses to
back
.
2.
(Naut.)
To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; – used of the wind.
3.
(Sporting)
To stand still behind another dog which has pointed; – said of a dog.
[Eng.]
To back and fill
,
to manage the sails of a ship so that the wind strikes them alternately in front and behind, in order to keep the ship in the middle of a river or channel while the current or tide carries the vessel against the wind.
Hence: (
Fig.
)
To take opposite positions alternately; to assert and deny.
[Colloq.]
–
To back out
,
To back down
,
to retreat or withdraw from a promise, engagement, or contest; to recede.
[Colloq.]
Cleon at first . . . was willing to go; but, finding that he [Nicias] was in earnest, he tried to
back out
.
Jowett (Thucyd. )

Back

,
adv.
[Shortened from
aback
.]
1.
In, to, or toward, the rear;
as, to stand
back
; to step
back
.
2.
To the place from which one came; to the place or person from which something is taken or derived;
as, to go
back
for something left behind; to go
back
to one's native place; to put a book
back
after reading it
.
3.
To a former state, condition, or station;
as, to go
back
to private life; to go
back
to barbarism
.
4.
(Of time) In times past; ago.
“Sixty or seventy years back.”
Gladstone.
5.
Away from contact; by reverse movement.
The angel of the Lord . . . came, and rolled
back
the stone from the door.
Matt. xxviii. 2.
6.
In concealment or reserve; in one's own possession;
as, to keep
back
the truth; to keep
back
part of the money due to another
.
7.
In a state of restraint or hindrance.
The Lord hath kept thee
back
from honor.
Numb. xxiv. 11.
8.
In return, repayment, or requital.
What have I to give you
back
?
Shakespeare
9.
In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking;
as, he took
back
the offensive words
.
10.
In arrear;
as, to be
back
in one's rent
.
[Colloq.]
Back and forth
,
backwards and forwards; to and fro.
–
To go back on
,
to turn back from; to abandon; to betray;
as,
to go back on
a friend;
to go back on
one's professions
.
[Colloq.]

Webster 1828 Edition

Back

BACK

, n.
1.
The upper part of an animal, particularly of a quadruped, whose back is a ridge. In human beings, the hinder part of the body.
4
2.
The outward or convex part of the hand, opposed to the inner, concave part, or palm.
3.
As the back of man is the part on the side opposite to the face; hence the part opposed to the front; as the back of a book and of a chimney, or the back of a house.
4.
The part opposite to or most remote from that which fronts the speaker or actor, or the part out of sight; as the back of an isle, of a wood, of a village.
5.
As the back is the strongest part of an animal, and as the back is behind in motion; hence the thick and strong part of a cutting tool; as the back of a knife, or of a saw.
6.
The place behind or nearest the back; as, on the back of a hill or of a village.
7.
The outer part of the body, or the whole body; a part for the whole; as, he has not clothes to his back.
8.
To turn the back on one, is to forsake, or neglect him.
9.
To turn the back to one, to acknowledge to be superior.
10. To turn the back, is to depart, or to leave the care or cognizance of; to remove or be absent.
11.
Behind the back, is in secret, or when one is absent.
12.
To cast behind the back, in scripture, is to forget and forgive, Is.xxxviii, 17; or to treat with contempt. Ez.xxiii.35. Neh.ix.26.
13.
To plow the back, is to oppress and persecute. Ps.cxxix.
14.
To bow the back, is to submit to oppression. Rom.xi.10.

BACK

,
adv.
To the place from which one came; as, to go back is to return.
2.
In a figurative sense, to a former state, condition or station; as, he cannot go back from his engagements.
3.
Behind; not advancing; not coming or bringing forward; as, to keep back a part; to keep one's selfback.
4.
Towards times or things past; as, to look back on former ages.
5.
Again; in return; as, give back the money.
6.
To go or come back, is to return, either to a former place, or state.
7.
To go or give back, is to retreat to recede.

BACK

,
Verb.
T.
To mount; to get upon the back; sometimes perhaps to place upon the back; as, to back a horse.
2.
To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid; as, the Court was backed by the House of Commons.
3.
To put backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as, to back oxen.
4.
To back a warrant, is for a justice of the peace in the county where the warrant is to be executed, to sign or indorse a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender.
5.
In seamanship, to back an anchor is to lay down a small anchor ahead of a large one, the cable of the small one being fastened to the crown of the large one, to prevent its coming home.
6.
To back astern, in rowing, is to manage the oars in a direction contrary to the usual method, to move a boat stern
5
foremost.
7.
To back the sails,is to arrange them so as to cause the ship to move astern.

BACK

,
Verb.
I.
To move or go back; as, the horse refuses to back.

Definition 2024

Back

Back

See also: back, bäck, and back-

German

Noun

Back f ‎(genitive Back, plural Backen)

  1. forecastle

back

back

See also: Back, bäck, and back-

English

Adjective

back ‎(comparative more back, superlative most back)

  1. (not comparable) Near the rear.
    • 1918, W. B. Maxwell, chapter 19, in The Mirror and the Lamp:
      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.
    Go in the back door of the house.‎
  2. (not comparable) Not current.
    I’d like to find a back issue of that magazine.‎
  3. (not comparable) Far from the main area.
    They took a back road.‎
  4. In arrear; overdue.
    back rent
  5. Moving or operating backward.
    back action
  6. (comparable, phonetics) Produced in the back of the mouth.
    "U" in "rude" is a back vowel.‎
Synonyms
Antonyms
Translations

Adverb

back ‎(comparative further back, superlative furthest back)

  1. (not comparable) To or in a previous condition or place.
    • 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 2, in The Celebrity:
      We drove back to the office with some concern on my part at the prospect of so large a case. Sunning himself on the board steps, I saw for the first time Mr. Farquhar Fenelon Cooke. He was dressed out in broad gaiters and bright tweeds, like an English tourist, and his face might have belonged to Dagon, idol of the Philistines.
    • 2013 June 8, “The new masters and commanders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8839, page 52:
      From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away.
    He gave back the money.   He needs his money back.   He was on vacation, but now he’s back.   The office fell into chaos when you left, but now order is back.‎
  2. Away from the front or from an edge.
    • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
      Pretty soon I struck into a sort of path […]. It twisted and turned, […] and opened out into a big clear space like a lawn. And, back of the lawn, was a big, old-fashioned house, with piazzas stretching in front of it, and all blazing with lights. 'Twas the house I'd seen the roof of from the beach.
    Sit all the way back in your chair.‎
    Step back from the curb.‎
  3. In a manner that impedes.
    Fear held him back.‎
  4. In a reciprocal manner.
    If you hurt me, I'll hurt you back.‎
Translations

Noun

A Japanese man's tattooed back (late 19th century). The lower portion (below the waist sash) is generally known by other names, such as the "butt" or "backside".
A female bodybuilder flexing her back muscles.
A Vietnamese woman in a backless outfit. Displaying the back of the female torso is less taboo across many cultures.

back ‎(plural backs)

  1. The rear of the body, especially the part between the neck and the end of the spine and opposite the chest and belly.
    Could you please scratch my back?‎
    • 1879, Richard Jefferies, The Amateur Poacher, chapter1:
      It was not far from the house; but the ground sank into a depression there, and the ridge of it behind shut out everything except just the roof of the tallest hayrick. As one sat on the sward behind the elm, with the back turned on the rick and nothing in front but the tall elms and the oaks in the other hedge, it was quite easy to fancy it the verge of the prairie with the backwoods close by.
    1. The spine and associated tissues.
      I hurt my back lifting those crates.‎
    2. (slang, uncountable) Large and attractive buttocks.
    3. (figuratively) The part of a piece of clothing which covers the back.
      I still need to finish the back of your dress.‎
    4. The backrest, the part of a piece of furniture which receives the human back.
      Can you fix the back of this chair?‎
    5. (obsolete) That part of the body that bears clothing.
  2. That which is farthest away from the front.
    He sat in the back of the room.‎
    1. The side of any object which is opposite the front or useful side.
      Turn the book over and look at the back.‎
      1. The edge of a book which is bound.
        The titles are printed on the backs of the books.‎
      2. (printing) The inside margin of a page.
        • 1841, William Savage, A Dictionary of the Art of Printing, 1965 Ayer Publishing ed. edition, ISBN 0833731289, page 472:
          Convenience and custom have familiarised us to the printed page being a little higher than the middle of the leaf, and to its having a little more margin at the fore edge than in the back.
      3. The side of a blade opposite the side used for cutting.
        Tap it with the back of your knife.‎
    2. The reverse side; the side that is not normally seen.
      I hung the clothes on the back of the door.‎
    3. Area behind, such as the backyard of a house.
      We'll meet out in the back of the library.‎
    4. The part of something that goes last.
      The car was near the back of the train.‎
    5. (sports) In some team sports, a position behind most players on the team.
      The backs were lined up in an I formation.‎
      • 2010 December 28, Kevin Darlin, “West Brom 1-3 Blackburn”, in BBC:
        […] Rovers were also aided by some poor defending from West Brom, whose lapses at the back undid their excellent work on the ball and condemned Roberto di Matteo's Baggies side to a third straight defeat.
  3. (figuratively) Upper part of a natural object which is considered to resemble an animal's back.
    The small boat raced over the backs of the waves.‎
  4. A support or resource in reserve.
    • William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
      This project / Should have a back or second, that might hold, / If this should blast in proof.
  5. (nautical) The keel and keelson of a ship.
    The ship's back broke in the pounding surf.‎
  6. (mining) The roof of a horizontal underground passage.
    • 1911, Robert Bruce Brinsmade, Mining Without Timber, page 161:
      The stope is kept full of broken ore, sufficient only being drawn to leave a working space between the floor of broken ore and the back of the stope.
  7. (slang, uncountable) Effort, usually physical.
    Put some back into it!‎
  8. A non-alcoholic drink (often water or a soft drink), to go with hard liquor or a cocktail.
    Could I get a martini with a water back?‎
  9. Among leather dealers, one of the thickest and stoutest tanned hides.
    • 1848, Maine Supreme Judicial Court, Maine Reports (volume 6, page 397)
      […] as delivered by a tanner the average weight of a back and two strips would be about 42 pounds […].
Synonyms
  • (side opposite the visible side): reverse
  • (rear of the body): dorsum
Hyponyms
  • (lower rear of the body): See Wikisaurus:buttocks
Antonyms
  • (side opposite the front or useful side): front
  • (that which is farthest away from the front): front
Coordinate terms
  • (non-alcoholic drink): chaser
Derived terms
  • See Category:English words prefixed with back-
Related terms
Translations
the rear of body

Verb

back ‎(third-person singular simple present backs, present participle backing, simple past and past participle backed)

  1. (intransitive) To go in the reverse direction.
    the train backed into the station;  the horse refuses to back‎
    • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt's Patients:
      Thinks I to myself, “Sol, you're run off your course again. This is a rich man's summer ‘cottage’ […].” So I started to back away again into the bushes. But I hadn't backed more'n a couple of yards when I see something so amazing that I couldn't help scooching down behind the bayberries and looking at it.
  2. (transitive) To support.
    I back you all the way;  which horse are you backing in this race?‎
    • 2012 June 9, Owen Phillips, “Euro 2012: Netherlands 0-1 Denmark”, in BBC Sport:
      And Netherlands, backed by a typically noisy and colourful travelling support, started the second period in blistering fashion and could have had four goals within 10 minutes
  3. (nautical, of the wind) To change direction contrary to the normal pattern; that is, to shift anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, or clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
  4. (nautical, of a square sail) To brace the yards so that the wind presses on the front of the sail, to slow the ship.
  5. (nautical, of an anchor) To lay out a second, smaller anchor to provide additional holding power.
  6. (Britain, of a hunting dog) To stand still behind another dog which has pointed.
  7. (transitive) To push or force backwards.
    to back oxen
    The mugger backed her into a corner and demanded her wallet.‎
  8. (transitive, obsolete) To get upon the back of; to mount.
  9. (transitive, obsolete) To place or seat upon the back.
  10. To make a back for; to furnish with a back.
    to back books
  11. To adjoin behind; to be at the back of.
  12. To write upon the back of, possibly as an endorsement.
    to back a letter;  to back a note or legal document
  13. (law, of a justice of the peace) To sign or endorse (a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender).
  14. To row backward with (oars).
    to back the oars
Antonyms
  • (nautical: of the wind): veer
Translations

Derived terms

Etymology 2

French bac.

Noun

back ‎(plural backs)

  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.
Translations

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: think · life · went · #132: back · under · same · take

Czech

Etymology

Borrowing from English back.

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈbɛk/
  • Rhymes: -ɛk
  • Homophone: beg

Noun

back m anim

  1. (sports, obsolete) back
    • 1904, František K. Hejda; et al., Praha ve dne v noci: zajímavosti a zvláštnosti ze źivota staré a nové Prahy, volume 1, P. Körber, page 70:
      Forward útočí na branku nepřátel podporován jsa zálohou, a backové s brankářem proti tomu mají čeliti útokům forwardu nepřátelského.
      Forward line attack the opponent's goal, being supported by midfielders, and backs with the goalkeeper are supposed to face the attacks of the opponent's forward line.
    • 1997, Kronika českého fotbalu, volume 1, page 196:
      Sparta má proslulý forward, a ten tak uvykl na svou proslulost, že se nesnaží ani trainovat, že opovrhuje běháním, že se spoléhá na znamenitou, ale pomalou kombinaci, že vlastně už zapomněl běhat, chodit mezi backy a vystavovat se nebezpečí, že svůj goal zaplatí snad nějakým tím klepnutím do choulostivých končetin.
      Sparta has a renowned forward line, which got used to its fame so much, that they do not take pains to train, despise running, rely on excellent but slow combination, that they forgot how to run, go among the backs and put themselves in danger of being hit into sensitive limbs.

Declension

Synonyms

Antonyms

Noun

back m inan

  1. (sports, rare) defense
    • 1986, Vladimír Valenta, Power play, Polygon:
      Na backu všechno odřeme, to křídlo, to je jiný: chrápe na modrý čáře a čeká, až mu to někdo bouchne.
      In the defense we do all the hard work, while the wing is different: they snore at the blue line and wait until somebody passes it to them.

Declension

Synonyms

Antonyms

German

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /bak/
  • Rhymes: -ak

Verb

back

  1. Imperative singular of backen.
  2. (colloquial) First-person singular present of backen.

Swedish

Pronunciation

Noun

back c

  1. crate; storage of bottles
  2. back; position behind most players on the team
  3. reverse; car gear

Declension

Inflection of back 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative back backen backar backarna
Genitive backs backens backars backarnas

Pronunciation

  • Rhymes: -ak

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