Back | Mean of back in English Dictionary

/ˈbæk/

• Noun
• the rear part of the body
1. She was carrying her little daughter on her back.
2. He injured his back. = He suffered a back injury.
3. She has a pain in the small of her back.
4. an aching back
5. I slapped/patted him on his/the back to congratulate him.
6. He broke his back [=spine] in a fall.
7. She stabbed/shot him in the back.
8. He had his hands behind his back.
• the part of an animal that is like a person's back
1. a bird with a dark back
2. riding on the back of a horse/donkey/camel
• the side or surface of something that is opposite the front or face
1. the back of the head
2. the back of a mirror/spoon
3. the back of the hand/leg/foot
4. The book has fallen down the back of the couch.

• the side or surface of something (such as a piece of paper) that is not usually used or seen first
1. She wrote something on the back of an envelope.
2. He signed his name on the back of the check.
• a place, position, or area that is at or near the rear of something
1. He put the letter in the back of the drawer.
2. The kitchen is at/in the back of the house and the living room is at/in the front.
3. Since our plane was leaving soon we were moved to the front of the line while others remained at the back.
4. Please move to the back of the elevator to make room for others.
• the part of a chair or seat that supports a person's back
1. a comfortable chair with a padded back
• the section of a book, magazine, etc., that includes the last pages
1. There is an index in the back of the book.
• the part of a book's cover that can be seen when the book is on a shelf
1. The title of the book is shown on its back. [=spine]
• a player in some games (such as soccer and American football) who is positioned behind the front line of players
1. a defensive back
• in the part of your mind where thoughts and memories are kept
1. The thought of retiring and moving out into the country has been in the back of her mind for many years.
2. Somewhere in the back of my mind I knew I'd met him before.
• with backs opposite or against each other
1. The soldiers stood back to back.
• happening one after the other
1. She won the annual competition two times back to back. [=in a row]
2. I've scheduled two appointments back to back.
• with the back where the front should be
1. He accidentally put the sweater on back to front. [=front to back, backwards]
• without someone's knowledge
1. You shouldn't gossip about people behind their back(s).
2. If you have something to say, why not say it to my face instead of whispering it behind my back?!
3. She went behind his back and spoke directly to his supervisor.
• to get control of (something you are trying to stop or defeat)
1. He says the government's new policies will break the back of inflation.
• to become angry or annoyed and want to fight or argue
1. He gets his back up and becomes defensive whenever someone questions his work.
• in an area at the back of something
1. There was only room for one passenger in front. The rest of us sat in back. [=in the back]
• directly behind (something or someone)
1. There's a small yard in back of the house.
• because of (something)
1. Profits have increased on the back of [=on the strength of] improved international sales.
• by using the efforts of (other people)
1. The company has achieved record profits on the back of cheap labor.
• in the area behind something (such as a building)
1. In my youth we didn't have a toilet in the house but there was one out back.
• to offend or annoy someone
1. I don't want to question his decision because that will just put his back up.
• to work very hard at (something)
1. To clean that floor you'll have to put your back into it.
2. You'll really have to put your back into this project if you want it to succeed.
• to turn so that you are facing away from someone
1. He turned his back and walked away from me.
2. He turned his back on me and walked away.
3. His former supporters have turned their backs on him. [=have abandoned him]
• to protect someone who is doing something that is dangerous or risky
1. The police officer's partner always watches his back.
2. Don't worry, I've got your back.
• in, toward, or at the back or rear
1. The soldiers moved back from the front lines.
2. The police asked the crowd to move/step back from the scene of the accident.
3. He left his friends two miles back.
4. She turned around and looked back toward him.
5. a chapter beginning several pages back
• to, toward, or in the place where someone or something was previously
1. He left his home and never went back.
2. I had to go back (to the office) for some papers I had left behind.
3. It's time to go back home.
4. She took the book off the shelf and forgot to put it back.
5. She left earlier but she should be back [=return] soon.
• in or into the past
1. In the opening chapter the author looks back on his youth.
2. an event back in the last century
• to or toward a former state or condition
1. He has decided to go back to private life. [=to return to private life]
2. Good farming practices were needed to bring the fields back (to good condition). [=to restore the fields]
• in return or reply
1. I gave the book to him and he gave it back (to me).
2. He refused to give back the borrowed money.
3. He hit his brother and his brother hit him right back.
4. talk back
5. She refused to take back her accusations.
• to or at an angle
1. The banks slant evenly back from the highway.
2. The doctor told her to lie back on the couch. [=to lie down on the couch]
3. When I get home from work I like to just sit/lean back on the couch and relax.
• on the rear side of (something)
1. There's an old tractor out back of [=in back of] the barn.
• of or relating to the back
1. the front door, not the back door [=the door at the back of a building]
2. He keeps his wallet in his back pocket.
3. She likes to sit in the front/first row, not the back [=last] row.
4. We came in through the back entrance.
5. the back pages [=the last pages] of the newspaper
6. back teeth
7. a back room
• far from a central or main area
1. We drove on the back roads instead of the main roads.
2. a back alley
• not yet paid
1. The company owes him several months in back pay.
2. back rent
• published at an earlier time
1. a back issue/number of a magazine
• Verb
• to give help to (someone)
1. I'm backing him (against the Establishment) in his struggle for reform.
2. I'm backing him for President.
• to bet on (someone or something)
1. She backed the winner of the race and won a lot of money.
2. The pundits are all backing him to become the next President. [=the pundits all think that he will become the next President]
• to provide evidence that supports (something)
1. She backed her argument with written evidence.
• to provide the money that is needed for (something)
1. back a new company
2. back a Broadway play
• to sing or play music that supports (a main singer or musical instrument)
1. She backed the singer on the guitar.
2. A guitarist backed up the singer.
• to move backward
1. She backed into a parking space.
2. She backed out of the garage.
3. The dog kept growling but backed off/away cautiously.
4. Could you back [=(more commonly) back up] your car a little to give me some room?
5. The reporter backed her into a corner [=put her into a difficult position that was hard to get out of] with his probing questions.
• to provide (something) with a back
1. back a skirt with stiff material
• to have the back toward something
1. The house fronts onto Main Street and backs onto/on the golf course. [=the back of the house faces the golf course]
• to move away from something or someone by walking backward
1. The robber pointed a gun at the policeman and told him to back away slowly.
2. The policeman slowly backed away from the robber.
3. She backed away from the growling dog.
4. The government seems to be backing away from its earlier proposal.
5. She has backed away from her controversial position on the death penalty.
• to stop arguing or fighting for something
1. When threatened with a revolt of its own supporters, the government backed down.
2. The strike is expected to continue because neither side is willing to back down.
3. The government backed down from its position.
4. He'll never back down from a fight.
• to become involved in (something) without planning to become involved
1. He backed into the antiques business almost by accident when he sold some old furniture he'd inherited.
• to decide not to do something that you had agreed to do
1. The deal fell through when investors backed off.
• to stop bothering someone
1. She was getting irritated, so I backed off.
• to move (a vehicle) backward
1. Could you back your car up a little to give me some room?
• to become blocked so that movement or flow is slowed or stopped
1. Traffic backed up for miles because of the accident.
2. The drain backed up [=clogged] and had to be unclogged by a plumber.
• to cause (something) to become blocked
1. The accident backed up traffic for miles. = Traffic was backed up [=(Brit) tailed back] for miles because of the accident.
2. The drain was backed up.
• to give help or support to (someone or something)
1. I'll back you up if I think you're right.
2. She backed her argument up with written evidence. = Written evidence backed her argument up.
3. It's time to back up your words with deeds!
• to make a copy of (a computer file or data) to protect it from being lost
1. Remember to back up your work before you log off.