back

A Japanese man's tattooed back (late 19th century). The lower portion (below the waist sash) is generally known by other names, such as the "butt" or "backside".

Meanings

Adjective

At or near the rear.
Returned or restored to a previous place or condition.
Not current.
Situated away from the main or most frequented areas.
In arrears; overdue.
Moving or operating backward.
Pronounced with the highest part of the body of the tongue toward the back of the mouth, near the soft palate (most often describing a vowel).

Adverb

To or in a previous condition or place.
In a direction opposite to that in which someone or something is facing or normally pointing.
In a direction opposite to the usual or desired direction of movement or progress, physically or figuratively.
So as to reverse direction and return.
Towards, into or in the past.
Away from someone or something; at a distance.
Away from the front or from an edge.
So as shrink, recede or move aside, or cause to do so.
In a manner that impedes.
In a reciprocal manner; in return.
Earlier, ago.
To a later point in time. See also put back.

Noun

The rear of the body, especially the part between the neck and the end of the spine and opposite the chest and belly.
That which is farthest away from the front.
Upper part of a natural object which is considered to resemble an animal's back.
A support or resource in reserve.
The keel and keelson of a ship.
The roof of a horizontal underground passage.
Effort, usually physical.
A non-alcoholic drink (often water or a soft drink), to go with hard liquor or a cocktail.
Among leather dealers, one of the thickest and stoutest tanned hides.
Short form of backstroke
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.
A ferryboat.

Verb

To go in the reverse direction.
To support.
To change direction contrary to the normal pattern; that is, to shift anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, or clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
To brace the yards so that the wind presses on the front of the sail, to slow the ship.
To lay out a second, smaller anchor to provide additional holding power.
To stand still behind another dog which has pointed.
To push or force backwards.
To get upon the back of; to mount.
To place or seat upon the back.
To make a back for; to furnish with a back.
To adjoin behind; to be at the back of.
To write upon the back of, possibly as an endorsement.
To sign or endorse (a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender).
To row backward with (oars).

Similar words

Opposite words

Origin

From Middle English bak, from Old English bæc, from Proto-West Germanic *bak, from Proto-Germanic *baką, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *bʰogo. The adverb represents an aphetic form of aback.
Compare , from Old Saxon bak, and , , and . Cognate with German Bache ("sow [adult female hog]").
Borrowed from French bac.

Modern English dictionary

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