Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Back?

\Back\, n. [F. bac: cf. Arm. bak tray, bowl.] 1. 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. {Hop back}, {Jack back}, the cistern which receives the infusion of malt and hops from the copper. {Wash back}, a vat in which distillers ferment the wort to form wash. {Water back}, a cistern to hold a supply of water; esp. a small cistern at the back of a stove, or a group of pipes set in the fire box of a stove or furnace, through which water circulates and is heated. 2. A ferryboat. See {Bac}, 1.
\Back\, n. [As b[ae]c, bac; akin to Icel., Sw., & LG. bak, Dan. bag; cf. OHG. bahho ham, Skr. bhaj to turn, OSlav. b?g? flight. Cf. {Bacon}.] 1. In human beings, the hinder part of the body, extending from the neck to the end of the spine; in other animals, that part of the body which corresponds most nearly to such part of a human being; as, the back of a horse, fish, or lobster. 2. An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge. [The mountains] their broad bare backs upheave Into the clouds. --Milton. 3. The outward or upper part of a thing, as opposed to the inner or lower part; as, the back of the hand, the back of the foot, the back of a hand rail. Methought Love pitying me, when he saw this, Gave me your hands, the backs and palms to kiss. --Donne. 4. The part opposed to the front; the hinder or rear part of a thing; as, the back of a book; the back of an army; the back of a chimney. 5. The part opposite to, or most remote from, that which fronts the speaker or actor; or the part out of sight, or not generally seen; as, the back of an island, of a hill, or of a village. 6. The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge; as, the back of a knife, or of a saw. 7. A support or resource in reserve. This project Should have a back or second, that might hold, If this should blast in proof. --Shak. 8. (Naut.) The keel and keelson of a ship. 9. (Mining) The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage. 10. A garment for the back; hence, clothing. A bak to walken inne by daylight. --Chaucer. {Behind one's back}, when one is absent; without one's knowledge; as, to ridicule a person behind his back. {Full back}, {Half back}, {Quarter back} (Football), players stationed behind those in the front line. {To be or lie on one's back}, to be helpless. {To put}, {or get}, {one's back up}, to assume an attitude of obstinate resistance (from the action of a cat when attacked.). [Colloq.] {To see the back of}, to get rid of. {To turn the back}, to go away; to flee. {To turn the back on one}, to forsake or neglect him.
\Back\, a. 1. Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as, the back door; back settlements. 2. Being in arrear; overdue; as, back rent. 3. Moving or operating backward; as, back action. {Back charges}, charges brought forward after an account has been made up. {Back filling} (Arch.), the mass of materials used in filling up the space between two walls, or between the inner and outer faces of a wall, or upon the haunches of an arch or vault. {Back pressure}. (Steam Engine) See under {Pressure}. {Back rest}, a guide attached to the slide rest of a lathe, and placed in contact with the work, to steady it in turning. {Back slang}, a kind of slang in which every word is written or pronounced backwards; as, nam for man. {Back stairs}, stairs in the back part of a house; private stairs. Also used adjectively. See {Back stairs}, {Backstairs}, and {Backstair}, in the Vocabulary. {Back step} (Mil.), the retrograde movement of a man or body of men, without changing front. {Back stream}, a current running against the main current of a stream; an eddy. {To take the back track}, to retrace one's steps; to retreat. [Colloq.]
\Back\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Backed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Backing}.] 1. To get upon the back of; to mount. I will back him [a horse] straight. --Shak. 2. To place or seat upon the back. [R.] Great Jupiter, upon his eagle backed, Appeared to me. --Shak. 3. To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as, to back oxen. 4. To make a back for; to furnish with a back; as, to back books. 5. To adjoin behind; to be at the back of. A garden . . . with a vineyard backed. --Shak. The chalk cliffs which back the beach. --Huxley. 6. To write upon the back of; as, to back a letter; to indorse; as, to back a note or legal document. 7. To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence; as, to back a friend. ``Parliament would be backed by the people.'' --Macaulay. Have still found it necessary to back and fortify their laws with rewards and punishments. --South. The mate backed the captain manfully. --Blackw. Mag. 8. To bet on the success of; -- as, to back a race horse. {To back an anchor} (Naut.), to lay down a small anchor ahead of a large one, the cable of the small one being fastened to the crown of the large one. {To back the field}, in horse racing, to bet against a particular horse or horses, that some one of all the other horses, collectively designated ``the field'', will win. {To back the oars}, to row backward with the oars. {To back a rope}, to put on a preventer. {To back the sails}, to arrange them so as to cause the ship to move astern. {To back up}, to support; to sustain; as, to back up one's friends. {To back a warrant} (Law), is for a justice of the peace, in the county where the warrant is to be executed, to sign or indorse a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender. {To back water} (Naut.), to reverse the action of the oars, paddles, or propeller, so as to force the boat or ship backward.
\Back\, v. i. 1. To move or go backward; as, the horse refuses to back. 2. (Naut.) To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; -- used of the wind. 3. (Sporting) To stand still behind another dog which has pointed; -- said of a dog. [Eng.] {To back and fill}, to manage the sails of a ship so that the wind strikes them alternately in front and behind, in order to keep the ship in the middle of a river or channel while the current or tide carries the vessel against the wind. Hence: (Fig.) To take opposite positions alternately; to assert and deny. [Colloq.] {To back out}, {To back down}, to retreat or withdraw from a promise, engagement, or contest; to recede. [Colloq.] Cleon at first . . . was willing to go; but, finding that he [Nicias] was in earnest, he tried to back out. --Jowett (Thucyd. )
\Back\, adv. [Shortened from aback.] 1. In, to, or toward, the rear; as, to stand back; to step back. 2. To the place from which one came; to the place or person from which something is taken or derived; as, to go back for something left behind; to go back to one's native place; to put a book back after reading it. 3. To a former state, condition, or station; as, to go back to private life; to go back to barbarism. 4. (Of time) In times past; ago. ``Sixty or seventy years back.'' --Gladstone. 5. Away from contact; by reverse movement. The angel of the Lord . . . came, and rolled back the stone from the door. --Matt. xxvii. 2. 6. In concealment or reserve; in one's own possession; as, to keep back the truth; to keep back part of the money due to another. 7. In a state of restraint or hindrance. The Lord hath kept thee back from honor. --Numb. xxiv. 11. 8. In return, repayment, or requital. What have I to give you back! --Shak. 9. In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking; as, he took back0 the offensive words. 10. In arrear; as, to be back in one's rent. [Colloq.] {Back and forth}, backwards and forwards; to and fro. {To go back on}, to turn back from; to abandon; to betray; as, to go back on a friend; to go back on one's professions. [Colloq.]