Back

Back, bak, n. the hinder part of the body in man, and the upper part in beasts, extending from the neck and shoulders to the extremity of the backbone: put for the whole body in speaking of clothes: the hinder part, or the part opposite to the front side: the convex part of a book, opposite to the opening of the leaves: the thick edge of a knife or the like: the upright hind part of a chair: the surface of the sea, or of a river: the keel and keelson of a ship: (football) one of the players stationed behind the 'forwards,' the full back's duty being merely to guard the goal: (mining) that side of an inclined mineral lode which is nearest the surface of the ground—the back of a level is the ground between it and the level above.—adv. to the place from which one came: to a former state or condition: behind: behind in time: in return: again.—v.t. to get upon the back of: to help, as if standing at one's back: to force back: to support one's opinion by a wager or bet—'to back a horse,' to bet money on his winning in a race, 'to back the field,' to bet upon all the horses in a field, against one in particular: to countersign a warrant, or indorse a cheque or bill; to write or print at the back of, as a parliamentary bill, or the like: to put or propel backward, or in the opposite direction, by reversing the action, as of an engine or a boat—hence the phrases, To back the oars, To back water.—v.i. to move or go back.—n. Back′-band, a broad strap or chain passing over the cart saddle, and serving to keep up the shafts of a vehicle.—v.t. Back′bite, to speak evil of any one behind his back or in his absence.—ns. Back′biter; Back′biting; Back′-board, a board placed at the back of a cart, boat, &c.: a board fastened across the back to straighten the figure; Back′bond (Scots law), a deed attaching a qualification or condition to the terms of a conveyance or other instrument—used when particular circumstances render it necessary to express in a separate form the limitations or qualifications of a right; Back′bone, the bone of the back, the vertebral column: the main support of anything: mainstay: firmness, reliableness; Back′-door, a door in the back part of a building: (attrib.) unworthily secret: clandestine.—adj. Backed, as in humpbacked.—ns. Back′-end, the later part of a season: the late autumn; Back′er, one who backs or supports another in a contest: one who bets on a horse or the like; Back′-fall, a fall on the back in wrestling—also figuratively: a lever in the coupler of an organ; Back′friend (obs.), a pretended friend: a backer, a friend who stands at one's back; Back′ground, ground at the back: a place of obscurity: the space behind the principal figures of a picture; Back′-hair, the long hair at the back of a woman's head; Back′-hand, the hand turned backwards in making a stroke: handwriting with the letters sloped backwards.—adj. Back′-hand′ed, with the hand turned backward (as of a blow): indirect.—ns. Back′-hand′er, a blow with the back of the hand: an extra glass of wine out of turn, the bottle being passed back; Back′ing, support at the back: mounting of a horse: the action of putting back: a body of helpers: anything used to form a back or line the back; Back′ing-down, shirking; Back′-lash, the jarring reaction of a wheel in a machine when the motion is not uniform; Back′-log, a log at the back of a fire.—adj. Back′most, farthest to the back.—ns. Back′-piece, Back′-plate, a piece or plate of armour for the back; Back′-set, a setting back, reverse: an eddy or counter-current; Back′side, the back or hinder side or part of anything: the hinder part of an animal; Back′-sight, in surveying, a sight taken backwards: the sight of a rifle nearer the stock; Back′-slang, slang in which every word is pronounced backwards.—v.t. Backslide′, to slide or fall back in faith or morals:—pa.p. backslid′, or backslid′den.—ns. Backslid′er; Backslid′ing.—n.pl. Back′stairs, back or private stairs of a house.—adj. secret or underhand.—n.pl. Back′stays, ropes or stays extending from the topmast-heads to the sides of a ship, and slanting a little backward, to second the shrouds in supporting the mast when strained by a weight of sail in a fresh wind: any stay or support at the back.—ns. Back′stitch, a method of sewing in which, for every new stitch, the needle enters behind, and comes out in front of, the end of the previous one; Back′sword, a sword with a back or with only one edge: a stick with a basket-handle; Backsword′man (Shak.); Back′-wash, a backward current.—v.t. to affect with back-wash: to clean the oil from wool after combing.—n. Back′water, water held back in a mill-stream or river by the obstruction of a dam below—a pool or belt of water connected with a river, but not in the line of its course or current: water thrown back by the turning of a water-wheel: a backward current of water: the swell of the sea formed by the paddles of a steamship.—n.pl. Back′woods, the forest or uncultivated part of a country beyond the cleared country, as in North American Backwoods′man.—Back! go back, turn back (imperatively).—At the back of (in U.S. often Back of), in support or pursuit; On, Upon the back of, weighing down as a burden.—To and back (Shak.), forward and backward.—To back down, to abandon one's opinion or position; To back out, to recede from an engagement or promise; To back up, to give support to; To be on one's back, to have come to the end of one's resources; To break the back of, to overburden, to complete the hardest part of a task; To cast behind the back (B.), to forgive; To set or put up the back, to arouse to resentment; To the backbone, thoroughly. [A.S. bæc, Sw. bak, Dan. bag.]