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 lobster2.
An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge.
[The mountains] their broad bare
Into the clouds.
backs
upheaveInto 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 railMethought Love pitying me, when he saw this,
Gave me your hands, the
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 chimney5.
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 village6.
The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge;
as, the
. back
of a knife, or of a saw7.
A support or resource in reserve.
This project
Should have a
If this should blast in proof.
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
settlements2.
Being in arrear; overdue;
as,
. back
rent3.
Moving or operating backward;
as,
. back
actionBack
(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
Appeared to me.
backed
,Appeared to me.
Shakespeare
3.
To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede;
as, to
. back
oxen4.
To make a back for; to furnish with a back;
as, to
. back
books5.
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
; to indorse; back
a letteras, to
. back
a note or legal document7.
To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence;
“The Parliament would be backed by the people.” as, to
. back
a friendMacaulay.
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 friendsTo 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 it3.
To a former state, condition, or station;
as, to go
. back
to private life; to go back
to barbarism4.
(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 another7.
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 words10.
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.
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.
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.