English

Verb

backslide ‎(third-person singular simple present backslides, present participle backsliding, simple past backslid or backslided, past participle backslidden or backslid or backslided)

1. To regress; to slip backwards or revert to a previous, worse state.
   • 1893, George Eliot, George Eliot's Works - Volume 7 - Page 233

     Monna Brigida, who had backslided into false hair in Romola's absence, but now drew it off again and declared she would not mind being gray, if her dear child would stay with her.

   He felt better for a little while, before his condition started to backslide.

2. To shirk responsibility; to renege on one's obligations or commitments.

   Rich countries are backsliding on their commitment to agree to new WTO measures to help people in poor countries gain access to affordable medicines. — Oxfam press release, 24 June 2002

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