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Definition of 'back'

Noun

  1. the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine; "his back was nicely tanned"
       Synonyms: dorsum
  2. the side that goes last or is not normally seen; "he wrote the date on the back of the photograph"
       Synonyms: rear
       Antonyms: front
  3. the part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer; "he stood at the back of the stage"; "it was hidden in the rear of the store"
       Synonyms: rear
       Antonyms: front
  4. (football) a person who plays in the backfield
  5. the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord; "the fall broke his back"
       Synonyms: spinal column vertebral column spine backbone rachis
  6. the protective covering on the front, back, and spine of a book; "the book had a leather binding"
       Synonyms: binding book binding cover
  7. the part of a garment that covers the back of your body; "they pinned a `kick me' sign on his back"
  8. a support that you can lean against while sitting; "the back of the dental chair was adjustable"
       Synonyms: backrest
  9. the position of a player on a football team who is stationed behind the line of scrimmage

Verb

  1. be behind; approve of; "He plumped for the Labor Party"; "I backed Kennedy in 1960"
       Synonyms: endorse indorse plump for plunk for support
  2. travel backward; "back into the driveway"; "The car backed up and hit the tree"
  3. give support or one's approval to; "I'll second that motion"; "I can't back this plan"; "endorse a new project"
       Synonyms: second endorse indorse
  4. cause to travel backward; "back the car into the parking spot"
       Antonyms: advance bring forward
  5. support financial backing for; "back this enterprise"
  6. be in back of; "My garage backs their yard"
       Antonyms: front look face
  7. place a bet on; "Which horse are you backing?"; "I'm betting on the new horse"
       Synonyms: bet on gage stake game punt
  8. shift to a counterclockwise direction; "the wind backed"
       Antonyms: veer
  9. establish as valid or genuine; "Can you back up your claims?"
       Synonyms: back up
  10. strengthen by providing with a back or backing

Adjective

  1. related to or located at the back; "the back yard"; "the back entrance"
       Antonyms: front
  2. located at or near the back of an animal; "back (or hind) legs"; "the hinder part of a carcass"
       Synonyms: hind hinder
  3. of an earlier date; "back issues of the magazine"

Adverb

  1. in or to or toward a former location; "she went back to her parents' house"
  2. at or to or toward the back or rear; "he moved back"; "tripped when he stepped backward"; "she looked rearward out the window of the car"
       Synonyms: backward backwards rearward rearwards
       Antonyms: forward forwards frontward frontwards forrad forrard
  3. in or to or toward an original condition; "he went back to sleep"
  4. in or to or toward a past time; "set the clocks back an hour"; "never look back"; "lovers of the past looking fondly backward"
       Synonyms: backward
       Antonyms: ahead forward ahead forward
  5. in answer; "he wrote back three days later"; "had little to say in reply to the questions"
       Synonyms: in reply
  6. in repayment or retaliation; "we paid back everything we had borrowed"; "he hit me and I hit him back"; "I was kept in after school for talking back to the teacher"


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