Idioms for back

Origin of back

1
before 1000; Middle English bak, Old English bæc back of the body; cognate with Old Frisian bek, Old Saxon, Old Norse bak; perhaps < Indo-European *bhogo- bending; cf. bacon

synonym study for back

31. Back, hind, posterior, rear refer to something situated behind something else. Back means the opposite of front: back window. Hind, and the more formal word posterior, suggest the rearmost of two or more often similar objects: hind legs; posterior lobe. Rear is used of buildings, conveyances, etc., and in military language it is the opposite of fore: rear end of a truck; rear echelon.

usage note for back

55. Although some object to their use, the phrases in back of and the shorter—and much older— back of with the meaning “behind” are fully established as standard in American English: The car was parked ( in ) back of the house. Both phrases occur in all types of speech and writing.

OTHER WORDS FROM back

back·less, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH back

back up backup

British Dictionary definitions for back away (1 of 2)

Word Origin for back

Old English bæc; related to Old Norse bak, Old Frisian bek, Old High German bah

British Dictionary definitions for back away (2 of 2)

back 2
/ (bæk) /

noun

a large tub or vat, esp one used by brewers

Word Origin for back

C17: from Dutch bak tub, cistern, from Old French bac, from Vulgar Latin bacca (unattested) vessel for liquids

Medical definitions for back away

back
[ băk ]

n.

The posterior portion of the trunk of the human body between the neck and the pelvis; the dorsum.
The backbone or spine.

Idioms and Phrases with back away (1 of 2)

back away

1

Walk backward, as in He cautiously backed away from the fire.

2

Gradually retreat, withdraw, as in Since he couldn't convince his colleagues, he's backing away from his original idea. Both usages employ the verb back in the sense of “retreat,” dating from the late 1400s. Also see back down; back out.

Idioms and Phrases with back away (2 of 2)

back