'Back' definitions:

Definition of 'back'

(from WordNet)
adverb
In or to or toward a former location; "she went back to her parents' house"
adverb
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" [syn: back, backward, backwards, rearward, rearwards] [ant: forrad, forrard, forward, forwards, frontward, frontwards]
adverb
In or to or toward an original condition; "he went back to sleep"
adverb
In or to or toward a past time; "set the clocks back an hour"; "never look back"; "lovers of the past looking fondly backward" [syn: back, backward] [ant: ahead, forward]
adverb
In reply; "he wrote back three days later"
adverb
In repayment or retaliation; "we paid back everything we had borrowed"; "he hit me and I hit him back"; "I was kept in after school for talking back to the teacher"
adjective
Related to or located at the back; "the back yard"; "the back entrance" [ant: front(a)]
adjective
Located at or near the back of an animal; "back (or hind) legs"; "the hinder part of a carcass" [syn: back(a), hind(a), hinder(a)]
adjective
Of an earlier date; "back issues of the magazine"
noun
The posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine; "his back was nicely tanned" [syn: back, dorsum]
noun
The side that goes last or is not normally seen; "he wrote the date on the back of the photograph" [syn: rear, back] [ant: front]
noun
The part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer; "he stood at the back of the stage"; "it was hidden in the rear of the store" [syn: back, rear] [ant: front]
noun
(football) a person who plays in the backfield
noun
The series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord; "the fall broke his back" [syn: spinal column, vertebral column, spine, backbone, back, rachis]
noun
The protective covering on the front, back, and spine of a book; "the book had a leather binding" [syn: binding, book binding, cover, back]
noun
The part of a garment that covers the back of your body; "they pinned a `kick me' sign on his back"
noun
A support that you can lean against while sitting; "the back of the dental chair was adjustable" [syn: back, backrest]
noun
(American football) the position of a player on a football team who is stationed behind the line of scrimmage
verb
Be behind; approve of; "He plumped for the Labor Party"; "I backed Kennedy in 1960" [syn: back, endorse, indorse, plump for, plunk for, support]
verb
Travel backward; "back into the driveway"; "The car backed up and hit the tree"
verb
Give support or one's approval to; "I'll second that motion"; "I can't back this plan"; "endorse a new project" [syn: second, back, endorse, indorse]
verb
Cause to travel backward; "back the car into the parking spot" [ant: advance, bring forward]
verb
Support financial backing for; "back this enterprise"
verb
Be in back of; "My garage backs their yard" [ant: face, front, look]
verb
Place a bet on; "Which horse are you backing?"; "I'm betting on the new horse" [syn: bet on, back, gage, stake, game, punt]
verb
Shift to a counterclockwise direction; "the wind backed" [ant: veer]
verb
Establish as valid or genuine; "Can you back up your claims?" [syn: back, back up]
verb
Strengthen by providing with a back or backing

Definition of 'Back'

From: GCIDE
  • Back \Back\, a.
  • 1. Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as, the back door; back settlements. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Being in arrear; overdue; as, back rent. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. Moving or operating backward; as, back action. [1913 Webster]
  • Back blocks, Australian pastoral country which is remote from the seacoast or from a river. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
  • Back charges, charges brought forward after an account has been made up.
  • Back filling (Arch.), the mass of materials used in filling up the space between two walls, or between the inner and outer faces of a wall, or upon the haunches of an arch or vault.
  • Back pressure. (Steam Engine) See under Pressure.
  • Back rest, a guide attached to the slide rest of a lathe, and placed in contact with the work, to steady it in turning.
  • Back slang, a kind of slang in which every word is written or pronounced backwards; as, nam for man.
  • Back stairs, stairs in the back part of a house; private stairs. Also used adjectively. See Back stairs, Backstairs, and Backstair, in the Vocabulary.
  • Back step (Mil.), the retrograde movement of a man or body of men, without changing front.
  • Back stream, a current running against the main current of a stream; an eddy.
  • To take the back track, to retrace one's steps; to retreat. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Back'

From: GCIDE
  • Back \Back\, n. [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. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. A ferryboat. See Bac, 1. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Back'

From: GCIDE
  • Back \Back\ (b[a^]k), n. [AS. b[ae]c, bac; akin to Icel., Sw., & LG. bak, Dan. bag; cf. OHG. bahho ham, Skr. bhaj to turn, OSlav. b[=e]g[u^] 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge. [1913 Webster]
  • [The mountains] their broad bare backs upheave Into the clouds. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Methought Love pitying me, when he saw this, Gave me your hands, the backs and palms to kiss. --Donne. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge; as, the back of a knife, or of a saw. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. A support or resource in reserve. [1913 Webster]
  • This project Should have a back or second, that might hold, If this should blast in proof. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. (Naut.) The keel and keelson of a ship. [1913 Webster]
  • 9. (Mining) The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage. [1913 Webster]
  • 10. A garment for the back; hence, clothing. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
  • A bak to walken inne by daylight. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Back'

From: GCIDE
  • Back \Back\, v. i.
  • 1. To move or go backward; as, the horse refuses to back. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. (Naut.) To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; -- used of the wind. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. (Sporting) To stand still behind another dog which has pointed; -- said of a dog. [Eng.] [1913 Webster]
  • 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.] [1913 Webster]
  • Cleon at first . . . was willing to go; but, finding that he [Nicias] was in earnest, he tried to back out. --Jowett (Thucyd. ) [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Back'

From: GCIDE
  • Back \Back\ (b[a^]k), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Backed (b[a^]kt); p. pr. & vb. n. Backing.] [1913 Webster]
  • 1. To get upon the back of; to mount. [1913 Webster]
  • I will back him [a horse] straight. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. To place or seat upon the back. [R.] [1913 Webster]
  • Great Jupiter, upon his eagle backed, Appeared to me. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as, to back oxen. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. To make a back for; to furnish with a back; as, to back books. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. To adjoin behind; to be at the back of. [1913 Webster]
  • A garden . . . with a vineyard backed. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • The chalk cliffs which back the beach. --Huxley. [1913 Webster]
  • 6. To write upon the back of; as, to back a letter; to indorse; as, to back a note or legal document. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • Have still found it necessary to back and fortify their laws with rewards and punishments. --South. [1913 Webster]
  • The mate backed the captain manfully. --Blackw. Mag. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. To bet on the success of; -- as, to back a race horse. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Back'

From: GCIDE
  • Back \Back\, adv. [Shortened from aback.]
  • 1. In, to, or toward, the rear; as, to stand back; to step back. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 3. To a former state, condition, or station; as, to go back to private life; to go back to barbarism. [1913 Webster]
  • 4. (Of time) In times past; ago. "Sixty or seventy years back." --Gladstone. [1913 Webster]
  • 5. Away from contact; by reverse movement. [1913 Webster]
  • The angel of the Lord . . . came, and rolled back the stone from the door. --Matt. xxviii. 2. [1913 Webster]
  • 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. [1913 Webster]
  • 7. In a state of restraint or hindrance. [1913 Webster]
  • The Lord hath kept thee back from honor. --Numb. xxiv. 11. [1913 Webster]
  • 8. In return, repayment, or requital. [1913 Webster]
  • What have I to give you back? --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 9. In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking; as, he took back the offensive words. [1913 Webster]
  • 10. In arrear; as, to be back in one's rent. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster]
  • 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.] [1913 Webster]

Synonyms of 'back'

From: Moby Thesaurus

Words containing 'Back'