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Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

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Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1.2 Pronunciation 1.3 Noun 1.3.1 Synonyms 1.3.2 Antonyms 1.3.3 Translations 1.4 Adjective 1.4.1 Synonyms 1.4.2 Antonyms 1.4.3 Translations 1.5 Verb 1.5.1 Translations 1.6 Adverb 1.6.1 Translations 1.7 Derived terms 2 Swedish 2.1 Noun

[edit] English

Wikipedia

[edit] Etymology

Old English bæc, from Proto-Germanic *bakom. The adverb represents an aphetic form of aback.

[edit] Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA: /bæk/, SAMPA: /b{k/

   Audio (US)^{help, file}

  Rhymes: -æk

[edit] Noun

back (plural backs)

1. The rear of body, especially the part between the neck and the end of the spine and opposite the chest and belly.

   Could you please scratch my back?

2. The spine and associated tissues.

   I hurt my back lifting that dictionary.

3. The side of any object which is opposite the front or useful side.

   Turn the book over and look at the back.

4. The reverse side; the side that is not normally seen.

   I hung the clothes on the back of the door.

5. That which is farthest away from the front.

   He sat in the back of the room.

6. Area behind, such as the backyard of a house

   We'll meet out in the back of the library.

7. The part of something that goes last.

   The car was near the back of the train.

8. The side of a blade opposite the side used for cutting.

   Tap it with the back of your knife.

9. The part of a piece of clothing which covers the back.

   I still need to finish the back of your dress.

10. The edge of a book which is bound.

    The titles are printed on the backs of the books.

11. The backrest, the part of a piece of furniture which receives the human back.

    Can you fix the back of this chair?

12. (figuratively) Upper part of a natural object which is considered to resemble an animal's back.

    The small boat raced over the backs of the waves.

13. (obsolete) That part of the body that bears clothing.
    • 1604, William Shakespeare, Measure for Measure,  

      Do thou but think / What 'tis to cram a maw or clothe a back / From such a filthy vice

14. (sports) In some team sports, a position behind most players on the team.

    The backs were lined up in an I formation.

15. (nautical) The keel and keelson of a ship.

    The ship's back broke in the pounding surf.

16. (printing) The inside margin of a page.
    • 1841, William Savage, A Dictionary of the Art of Printing^[1], 1965 Ayer Publishing ed., ISBN 0833731289, page 472,  

      Convenience and custom have familiarised us to the printed page being a little higher than the middle of the leaf, and to its having a little more margin at the fore edge than in the back.

17. (mining) The roof of a horizontal underground passage.
    • 1911, Robert Bruce Brinsmade, Mining Without Timber^[2], page 161,  

      The stope is kept full of broken ore, sufficient only being drawn to leave a working space between the floor of broken ore and the back of the stope.

18. (slang, uncountable) Effort, usually physical.

    Put some back into it!

19. (slang, uncountable) Large and attractive buttocks.
    • 2002, George Pelecanos, Right as Rain: A Novel^[3], ISBN 0446610798, page 123,  

      He got his hand on her behind and caressed her firm, ample flesh. […] "You got some back on you, girl."

[edit] Synonyms

• (side opposite the visible side): reverse
• (rear of the body): rear, backside

[edit] Antonyms

• (side opposite the front or useful side): front
• (that which is farthest away from the front): front

[edit] Translations

[edit] Adjective

back (not comparable)

1. Near the rear.

   Go in the back door of the house.

2. Not current.

   I’d like to find a back issue of that magazine.

3. Far from the main area.

   They took a back road.

   That chore has been in the back of my mind for weeks.

[edit] Synonyms

• (near the rear): rear
• (not current): former, previous
• (far from the main area): remote

[edit] Antonyms

• (near the rear): front
• (not current): current
• (far from the main area): main

[edit] Translations

[edit] Verb

to back (third-person singular simple present backs, present participle backing, simple past and past participle backed)

1. To go in the reverse direction.

   The train backed into the station.

2. To support.

   I back you all the way.

3. (nautical, of the wind) the change direction contrary to its normal pattern (anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, clockwise in the southern)
4. (nautical, of a square sail) to brace the yards so that the wind presses on the front of the sail, to slow the ship
5. (nautical, of an anchor) to lay out a second, smaller anchor to provide additional holding power

[edit] Translations

[edit] Adverb

back (comparative further back, superlative furthest back)

1. (Not comparable) To or in a previous condition or place.

   He gave back the money.

   He was on vacation, but now he’s back.

   The office fell into chaos when you left, but now order is back.

2. Away from the front or from an edge.

   Sit all the way back in your chair.

   Step back from the curb.

3. In a manner that impedes.

   Fear held him back.

[edit] Translations

• Korean: 원래대로 ko(ko) (wollaedaero)

[edit] Derived terms