back

[ bak ]

/ bæk /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR back ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

at, to, or toward the rear; backward: to step back.

in or toward the past: to look back on one's youth; They met in Chicago back in 1976.

at or toward the original starting point, place, or condition: to go back to the old neighborhood.

in direct payment or return: to pay back a loan; to answer back.

in a state of restraint or retention: to hold back the tears; to hold back salary.

in a reclining position: to lean back; to lie back.

Verb Phrases

go back on,

to be treacherous or faithless to; betray: to go back on friends.
to fail to keep; renege on: to go back on promises.

Idioms for back

back and forth, from side to side; to and fro; from one to the other: The pendulum of the grandfather clock swung back and forth.

back yonder, Chiefly South Midland U.S. formerly; many years ago: Back yonder, when I was a boy, things were different.

Origin of back

First recorded in 1480–90; aphetic variant of aback

Words nearby back

bacillus calmette-guérin, bacillus cereus, bacillus sphaericus, bacillus thuringiensis, bacitracin, back, back against the wall, back alley, back anchor, back and fill, back and forth

British Dictionary definitions for go back on (1 of 2)

back ¹

/ (bæk) /

noun

the posterior part of the human body, extending from the neck to the pelvis Related adjective: dorsal

the corresponding or upper part of an animal

the spinal column

the part or side of an object opposite the front

the part or side of anything less often seen or used the back of a carpet; the back of a knife

the part or side of anything that is furthest from the front or from a spectator the back of the stage

the convex part of something the back of a hill; the back of a ship

something that supports, covers, or strengthens the rear of an object

ball games

a mainly defensive player behind a forward
the position of such a player

the part of a book to which the pages are glued or that joins the covers

mining

the side of a passage or layer nearest the surface
the earth between that level and the next

the upper surface of a joist, rafter, slate, tile, etc, when in position Compare bed (def. 13)

at one's back behind, esp in support or pursuit

at the back of one's mind not in one's conscious thoughts

behind one's back without one's knowledge; secretly or deceitfully

break one's back to overwork or work very hard

break the back of to complete the greatest or hardest part of (a task)

on one's back or flat on one's back incapacitated, esp through illness

get off someone's back informal to stop criticizing or pestering someone

have on one's back to be burdened with

on someone's back informal criticizing or pestering someone

put one's back into to devote all one's strength to (a task)

put someone's back up or get someone's back up to annoy someone

see the back of to be rid of

back of beyond

the back of beyond a very remote place
Australian in such a place (esp in the phrase out back of beyond)

turn one's back on

to turn away from in anger or contempt
to refuse to help; abandon

with one's back to the wall in a difficult or desperate situation

verb (mainly tr)

(also intr) to move or cause to move backwards

to provide support, money, or encouragement for (a person, enterprise, etc)

to bet on the success of to back a horse

to provide with a back, backing, or lining

to provide with a music accompaniment a soloist backed by an orchestra

to provide a background for; be at the back of mountains back the town

to countersign or endorse

archaic to mount the back of

(intr; foll by on or onto) to have the back facing (towards) the house backs onto a river

(intr) (of the wind) to change direction in an anticlockwise direction in the northern hemisphere and a clockwise direction in the southern See veer 1 (def. 3a)

nautical to position (a sail) so that the wind presses on its opposite side

back and fill

nautical to manoeuvre the sails by alternately filling and emptying them of wind to navigate in a narrow place
to vacillate in one's opinion

adjective (prenominal)

situated behind a back lane

of the past back issues of a magazine

owing from an earlier date back rent

mainly US, Australian and NZ remote back country

(of a road) not direct

moving in a backward direction back current

phonetics of, relating to, or denoting a vowel articulated with the tongue retracted towards the soft palate, as for the vowels in English hard, fall, hot, full, fool

adverb

at, to, or towards the rear; away from something considered to be the front; backwards; behind

in, to, or towards the original starting point, place, or condition to go back home; put the book back; my headache has come back

in or into the past to look back on one's childhood

in reply, repayment, or retaliation to hit someone back; pay back a debt; to answer back

in check the dam holds back the water

in concealment; in reserve to keep something back; to hold back information

back and forth to and fro

back to front

in reverse
in disorder

See also back down, back off, back out, back up

Word Origin for back

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

British Dictionary definitions for go back on (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 go back on

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 go back on (1 of 2)

go back on

Fail to honor or keep, as in You can't go back on your word, or One should never go back on a promise. [Mid-1800s]

Idioms and Phrases with go back on (2 of 2)

back

In addition to the idioms beginning with back

back against the wall
back alley
back and fill
back and forth
back away
back burner, on a
back door
back down
back in circulation
back in harness
back number
back of
back of beyond
back off
back of one's hand
back of one's mind
back on one's feet
back order
back out
back street
back the wrong horse
back to back
back to basics
back to the drawing board
back to the salt mines
back to the wall
back up
back water

also see:

a while back
behind someone's back
break one's back
break the back of
call back
choke back
come back
cut back
double back
draw back
drop back
eyes in the back of one's head
fall back
fall back on
fall over (backward)
flat on one's back
from way back
get back
get one's back up
give the shirt off one's back
go back on one's word
hang back
hark(en) back
hold back
in one's own backyard
kick back
knock back
know like a book (the back of one's hand)
left-handed (back-handed) compliment
like water off a duck's back
look back
monkey on one's back
off someone's back
pat on the back
pay back in someone's own coin
pin someone's ears back
play back
plow back
pull back
put one's back in it
put one's back up
roll back
scratch someone's back
see the back of
set back
set back on one's heels
set one back
set the clock back
sit back
slap on the back
snap back
stab in the back
take aback
take a back seat
take back
talk back
think back
throw back
turn back
turn one's back on
when someone's back is turned
with one arm tied behind one's back
you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

back

adverb

Verb Phrases

Idioms for back

Origin of back

Words nearby back

British Dictionary definitions for go back on (1 of 2)

noun

verb (mainly tr)

adjective (prenominal)

adverb

Word Origin for back

British Dictionary definitions for go back on (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for back

Medical definitions for go back on

n.

Idioms and Phrases with go back on (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with go back on (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

back

adverb

Verb Phrases

Idioms for back

Origin of back

Words nearby back

Words related to go back on

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for go back on (1 of 2)

noun

verb (mainly tr)

adjective (prenominal)

adverb

Word Origin for back

British Dictionary definitions for go back on (2 of 2)

noun

Word Origin for back

Medical definitions for go back on

n.

Idioms and Phrases with go back on (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with go back on (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for go back on (1 of 2)