back
back
bÃĻk
bāk
/bÃĻk/

āχāĻ‚āϰ⧇āϜāĻŋāϤ⧇ "back"āĻāϰ āϏāĻ‚āĻœā§āĻžāĻž āĻ“ āĻ…āĻ°ā§āĻĨ

01

āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇,āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇, in the direction behind us

in or to the direction behind us
back definition and meaning
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
She glanced back to see if anyone was following her.
āϕ⧇āω āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻ…āύ⧁āϏāϰāĻŖ āĻ•āϰāϛ⧇ āĻ•āĻŋāύāĻž āϤāĻž āĻĻ⧇āĻ–āϤ⧇ āϏ⧇ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻžāϞāĨ¤
02

āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇, āφāĻŦāĻžāϰ

in or toward a previous location
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
She ran back to grab her forgotten wallet.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϰ āϭ⧁āϞ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž āĻŽāĻžāύāĻŋāĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻ— āϧāϰāϤ⧇ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āĻĻ⧌āĻĄāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύāĨ¤
03

āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇, āφāĻŦāĻžāϰ

in or toward a prior state or condition
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
The store returned the defective item back to the supplier.
āĻĻā§‹āĻ•āĻžāύāϟāĻŋ āĻ¤ā§āϰ⧁āϟāĻŋāĻĒā§‚āĻ°ā§āĻŖ āφāχāĻŸā§‡āĻŽāϟāĻŋ āϏāϰāĻŦāϰāĻžāĻšāĻ•āĻžāϰ⧀āϕ⧇ āĻĢāĻŋāϰāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇āĨ¤
04

āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇, āφāϗ⧇

to a previous time or an earlier point in history
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
The company has come a long way since going back to its original ideas.
āϕ⧋āĻŽā§āĻĒāĻžāύāĻŋāϟāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŽā§‚āϞ āϧāĻžāϰāĻŖāĻžāϝāĻŧ āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇ āφāϏāĻžāϰ āĻĒāϰ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇ āĻ…āύ⧇āĻ• āĻĻā§‚āϰ āĻāĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇āĨ¤
4.1

āφāϗ⧇, āĻĒā§‚āĻ°ā§āĻŦ⧇

to a point in time earlier than the present
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
He moved to another city a few months back.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ•āϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ• āĻŽāĻžāϏ āφāϗ⧇ āĻ…āĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻļāĻšāϰ⧇ āϚāϞ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇āύāĨ¤
05

āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇, āĻĒā§āϰāĻ¤ā§āϝ⧁āĻ¤ā§āϤāϰ⧇

in response or as a return to a previous statement or action
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
She wrote back immediately after receiving my email.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āφāĻŽāĻžāϰ āχāĻŽā§‡āϞ āĻĒāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ āĻ…āĻŦāĻŋāϞāĻŽā§āĻŦ⧇ āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇ āϞāĻŋāϖ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύāĨ¤
06

āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇, āĻĒā§āϰāĻ¤ā§āϝ⧁āĻ¤ā§āϤāϰ⧇

in response to a previous action, often to return something or retaliate
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
He punched me, and I hit him back.
āϏ⧇ āφāĻŽāĻžāϕ⧇ āϘ⧁āώāĻŋ āĻŽā§‡āϰ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ, āĻāĻŦāĻ‚ āφāĻŽāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϕ⧇ āĻĢāĻŋāϰ⧇ āϘ⧁āώāĻŋ āĻŽā§‡āϰ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĻžāĻŽāĨ¤
07

āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇, āĻĻā§‚āϰ⧇

in a position where something or someone is being prevented from acting freely
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
She was holding back tears during the meeting.
āϏāĻ­āĻžāϰ āϏāĻŽāϝāĻŧ āϏ⧇ āĻ•āĻžāĻ¨ā§āύāĻž āĻšā§‡āĻĒ⧇ āϰāĻžāĻ–āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĨ¤
01

āĻĒāĻŋāĻ , āĻŽā§‡āϰ⧁āĻĻāĻŖā§āĻĄ

the part of our body between our neck and our legs that we cannot see
back definition and meaning
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
He wore a brace to support his injured back.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϰ āφāĻšāϤ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ  āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύ āĻ•āϰāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻŦ⧇āϏ āĻĒāϰ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύāĨ¤
02

āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ, āĻĒāĻŋāĻ 

the side or part of something that is not normally seen

reverse

back definition and meaning
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
She stuck a sticker on the back of the notebook.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āύ⧋āϟāĻŦ⧁āϕ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ¸ā§āϟāĻŋāĻ•āĻžāϰ āϞāĻžāĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇āύāĨ¤
03

āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ, āĻĒāĻŋāĻ 

the side or part of something that faces away from the front
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
The back of the stage was used for prop storage.
āĻŽāĻžā§āĻšā§‡āϰ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ āĻ…āĻ‚āĻļāϟāĻŋ āĻĒā§āϰāĻĒ āĻ¸ā§āĻŸā§‹āϰ⧇āĻœā§‡āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻšā§ƒāϤ āĻšāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĨ¤
04

āĻšā§‡āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ  āĻ…āϤāĻŋāϰāĻŋāĻ•ā§āϤ āφāϰāĻžāĻŽā§‡āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻĒā§āϝāĻžāĻĄ āĻ•āϰāĻž āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĨ¤, āĻšā§‡āϝāĻŧāĻžāϰ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇āϰ āĻ…āĻ‚āĻļ āĻ…āϤāĻŋāϰāĻŋāĻ•ā§āϤ āφāϰāĻžāĻŽā§‡āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻĒā§āϝāĻžāĻĄ āĻ•āϰāĻž āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĨ¤

a surface or support that provides stability or rest when seated
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
He leaned against the back of the sofa, looking out the window.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϏ⧋āĻĢāĻžāϰ āĻĒāĻŋāϠ⧇ āĻšā§‡āϞāĻžāύ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϜāĻžāύāĻžāϞāĻž āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻŦāĻžāχāϰ⧇ āϤāĻžāĻ•āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύāĨ¤
05

āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻ•, āĻĄāĻŋāĻĢ⧇āĻ¨ā§āϏāĻŋāĻ­ āϖ⧇āϞ⧋āϝāĻŧāĻžāĻĄāĻŧ

a football player who runs, blocks, or catches the ball
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
As a back, he was known for his ability to evade tacklers.
āĻāĻ•āϜāύ āĻŦā§āϝāĻžāĻ• āĻšāĻŋāϏ⧇āĻŦ⧇, āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻŸā§āϝāĻžāĻ•āϞāĻžāϰāĻĻ⧇āϰ āĻāĻĄāĻŧāĻžāύ⧋āϰ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ•ā§āώāĻŽāϤāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻĒāϰāĻŋāϚāĻŋāϤ āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύāĨ¤
06

āĻĒāĻŋāĻ , āĻŦā§‹āĻāĻž

a reference to feeling burdened by expectations or demands
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
She felt like the whole team ’s mistakes fell squarely on her back.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻ…āύ⧁āĻ­āĻŦ āĻ•āϰ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύ āϝ⧇ āĻĒ⧁āϰ⧋ āĻĻāϞ⧇āϰ āϭ⧁āϞāϗ⧁āϞāĻŋ āϏāϰāĻžāϏāϰāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĒāĻŋāϠ⧇ āĻĒāĻĄāĻŧ⧇āϛ⧇āĨ¤
01

āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇āϰ, āĻĒāĻļā§āϚāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ­āĻžāĻ—

located behind or toward the rear
back definition and meaning
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
The back row of seats in the theater offers a good view of the stage.
āĻĨāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āϟāĻžāϰ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇āϰ āϏāĻžāϰāĻŋāϰ āϏāĻŋāϟāϗ⧁āϞāĻŋ āĻŽāĻžā§āĻšā§‡āϰ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ­āĻžāϞ āĻĻ⧃āĻļā§āϝ āĻĒā§āϰāĻĻāĻžāύ āĻ•āϰ⧇āĨ¤
02

āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇āϰ, āĻĒāĻļā§āϚāĻžāĻĻā§āĻ­āĻžāĻ—

situated on or near the posterior side of an animal's body
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
The lion used its powerful back paws to leap across the stream.
āϏāĻŋāĻ‚āĻšāϟāĻŋ āĻĒā§āϰāĻŦāĻžāĻšā§‡āϰ āωāĻĒāϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āϞāĻžāĻĢ āĻĻāĻŋāϤ⧇ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻļāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋāĻļāĻžāϞ⧀ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻž āĻŦā§āϝāĻŦāĻšāĻžāϰ āĻ•āϰ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĨ¤
03

āĻĒ⧁āϰāĻžāύ⧋, āĻ…āϤ⧀āϤ

from a previous time
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
He referred to back reports for his research.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻ—āĻŦ⧇āώāĻŖāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻĒā§‚āĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻŦāĻ°ā§āϤ⧀ āϰāĻŋāĻĒā§‹āĻ°ā§āϟāϗ⧁āϞāĻŋ āωāĻ˛ā§āϞ⧇āĻ– āĻ•āϰ⧇āϛ⧇āύāĨ¤
01

āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύ āĻ•āϰāĻž, āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āĻĨāĻžāĻ•āĻž

to support someone or something
to back definition and meaning
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
The teacher encouraged students to back their ideas with evidence and thoughtful arguments.
02

āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž, āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āϚāϞāĻž

to move in a backward direction
Intransitive
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
The truck backed slowly toward the loading dock.
āĻŸā§āϰāĻžāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āϧ⧀āϰ⧇ āϞ⧋āĻĄāĻŋāĻ‚ āĻĄāϕ⧇āϰ āĻĻāĻŋāϕ⧇ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āϗ⧇āϞāĨ¤
03

āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āϝāĻžāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž, āĻ—āĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āύ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž

to move a vehicle backward

reverse

Transitive
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
She backed the truck out of the driveway carefully.
āϏ⧇ āϏāĻžāĻŦāϧāĻžāύ⧇ āĻŸā§āϰāĻžāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻĄā§āϰāĻžāχāĻ­āĻ“āϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĨ⧇āϕ⧇ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĨ¤
04

āĻ…āĻ°ā§āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧāύ āĻ•āϰāĻž, āφāĻ°ā§āĻĨāĻŋāĻ• āϏāĻšāĻžāϝāĻŧāϤāĻž āĻĒā§āϰāĻĻāĻžāύ

to provide money or resources to support a business, project, or person
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
She decided to back the charity's fundraising campaign.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻĻāĻžāϤāĻŦā§āϝ āϏāĻ‚āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāϰ āϤāĻšāĻŦāĻŋāϞ āϏāĻ‚āĻ—ā§āϰāĻš āĻ…āĻ­āĻŋāϝāĻžāύāϕ⧇ āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύ āĻ•āϰāĻžāϰ āϏāĻŋāĻĻā§āϧāĻžāĻ¨ā§āϤ āύāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύāĨ¤
05

āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύ āĻ•āϰāĻž, āĻĒā§āϰāĻŽāĻžāĻŖ āĻ•āϰāĻž

to confirm, support, or provide evidence that something is legitimate or true
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
The historian backed her claims with authenticated documents.
āχāϤāĻŋāĻšāĻžāϏāĻŦāĻŋāĻĻ āĻĒā§āϰāĻŽāĻžāĻŖāĻŋāϤ āύāĻĨāĻŋāϰ āϏāĻžāĻĨ⧇ āϤāĻžāϰ āĻĻāĻžāĻŦāĻŋāϗ⧁āϞ⧋āϕ⧇ āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύ āĻ•āϰ⧇āϛ⧇āύāĨ¤
06

āĻļāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋāĻļāĻžāϞ⧀ āĻ•āϰāĻž, āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύ āĻ•āϰāĻž

to reinforce or support something by providing additional structure
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
The design was backed by a solid foundation to ensure durability.
āύāĻ•āĻļāĻžāϟāĻŋ āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāϝāĻŧāĻŋāĻ¤ā§āĻŦ āύāĻŋāĻļā§āϚāĻŋāϤ āĻ•āϰāϤ⧇ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻļāĻ•ā§āϤ āĻ­āĻŋāĻ¤ā§āϤāĻŋ āĻĻā§āĻŦāĻžāϰāĻž āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāĻŋāϤ āĻ›āĻŋāϞāĨ¤
07

āĻĻāĻŋāĻ• āĻĒāϰāĻŋāĻŦāĻ°ā§āϤāύ āĻ•āϰāĻž, āϘ⧁āϰāĻž

(of the wind) to change direction in a counterclockwise movement
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
As the storm approached, the wind backed steadily throughout the evening.
āĻāĻĄāĻŧ āĻāĻ—āĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āφāϏāĻžāϰ āϏāĻžāĻĨ⧇ āϏāĻžāĻĨ⧇, āϏāĻ¨ā§āĻ§ā§āϝāĻž āϜ⧁āĻĄāĻŧ⧇ āĻŦāĻžāϤāĻžāϏ āĻ…āĻŦāĻŋāĻšā§āĻ›āĻŋāĻ¨ā§āύāĻ­āĻžāĻŦ⧇ āĻŦāĻĻāϞ⧇ āϗ⧇āϛ⧇āĨ¤
08

āĻŦāĻžāϜāĻŋ āϧāϰāĻž, āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύ āĻ•āϰāĻž

to place a bet on a particular outcome or event to occur
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
She backed the home team to win the championship.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻšā§āϝāĻžāĻŽā§āĻĒāĻŋāϝāĻŧāύāĻļāĻŋāĻĒ āĻœā§‡āϤāĻžāϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻšā§‹āĻŽ āĻĻāϞ⧇āϰ āωāĻĒāϰ āĻŦāĻžāϜāĻŋ āϧāϰ⧇āϛ⧇āύāĨ¤
09

āϕ⧋āύ⧋ āĻ•āĻŋāϛ⧁āϰ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇ āĻ…āĻŦāĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻŋāϤ, āĻŽā§āĻ–ā§‹āĻŽā§āĻ–āĻŋ āĻšāĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž

to be located behind something
Transitive
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
Her house backs a large park, making it easy to go for walks.
āϤāĻžāϰ āĻŦāĻžāĻĄāĻŧāĻŋ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻŦāĻĄāĻŧ āĻĒāĻžāĻ°ā§āϕ⧇āϰ āĻĒāĻŋāĻ›āύ⧇, āĻšāĻžāρāϟāĻž āϏāĻšāϜ āĻ•āϰ⧇ āϤ⧋āϞ⧇āĨ¤
10

āϏāĻ™ā§āϗ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž, āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύ āĻ•āϰāĻž

to play instruments or vocals in support of a lead performer
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
He often backs local artists at open mic nights.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻĒā§āϰāĻžāϝāĻŧāχ āĻ“āĻĒ⧇āύ āĻŽāĻžāχāĻ• āϰāĻžāϤ⧇ āĻ¸ā§āĻĨāĻžāύ⧀āϝāĻŧ āĻļāĻŋāĻ˛ā§āĻĒā§€āĻĻ⧇āϰ āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύ āĻ•āϰ⧇āύāĨ¤
11

āφāĻ¸ā§āϤāϰāĻŖ āĻĻ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž, āĻļāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋāĻļāĻžāϞ⧀ āĻ•āϰāĻž

to apply a material to the rear side of an object
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
She backed the photo with a sturdy frame for display.
āϤāĻŋāύāĻŋ āĻĒā§āϰāĻĻāĻ°ā§āĻļāύ⧇āϰ āϜāĻ¨ā§āϝ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻļāĻ•ā§āϤāĻŋāĻļāĻžāϞ⧀ āĻĢā§āϰ⧇āĻŽ āĻĻāĻŋāϝāĻŧ⧇ āĻĢāĻŸā§‹āϟāĻŋ āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāύ āĻ•āϰ⧇āĻ›āĻŋāϞ⧇āύāĨ¤
12

āϏāĻžāĻĨ⧇ āĻĻ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž, āĻœā§‹āĻĄāĻŧāĻž āĻĻ⧇āĻ“āϝāĻŧāĻž

to pair a primary track with a secondary one on the same record
āωāĻĻāĻžāĻšāϰāĻŖ
Their latest release is backed with an unreleased live track.
āϤāĻžāĻĻ⧇āϰ āϏāĻ°ā§āĻŦāĻļ⧇āώ āϰāĻŋāϞāĻŋāϜāϟāĻŋ āĻāĻ•āϟāĻŋ āĻ…āĻĒā§āϰāĻ•āĻžāĻļāĻŋāϤ āϞāĻžāχāĻ­ āĻŸā§āĻ°ā§āϝāĻžāĻ• āĻĻā§āĻŦāĻžāϰāĻž āϏāĻŽāĻ°ā§āĻĨāĻŋāϤāĨ¤
LanGeek
āĻ…ā§āϝāĻžāĻĒ āĻĄāĻžāωāύāϞ⧋āĻĄ āĻ•āϰ⧁āύ