WordWeb Online

1. The posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
   "his back was nicely tanned";
   - dorsum
    
2. The side that goes last or is not normally seen
   "he wrote the date on the back of the photograph";
   - rear
    
3. The part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer
   "he stood at the back of the stage";
   - rear
    
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";
   - spinal column, vertebral column, spine, backbone, rachis [technical]
    
6. The protective covering on the front, back, and spine of a book
   - 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";
   - backrest
    
9. (American football) the position of a player on a football team who is stationed behind the line of scrimmage

1. In, 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";
   - backward, backwards, rearward, rearwards
    
3. In, to or toward an original condition
   "he went back to sleep"
    
4. In, to or toward a past time
   "set the clocks back an hour"; "never look back";
   - backward
    
5. In reply
   "he wrote back three days later"
    
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"

1. Pick one person to give support and approval to in a particular role
   "I backed Kennedy in 1960";
   - 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 can't back this plan";
   - second, endorse, indorse
    
4. Cause to travel backward
   "back the car into the parking spot"
    
5. Support financial backing for
   "back this enterprise"
    
6. Be in back of
   "My garage backs their yard"
    
7. Gamble on something
   "Which horse are you backing?";
   - bet on, gage [archaic], stake, game, punt
    
8. Shift to a counterclockwise direction
   "the wind backed"
    
9. Establish as valid or genuine
   "Can you back up your claims?";
   - back up
    
10. Strengthen by providing with a back or backing

1. Related to or located at the back
   "the back yard"; "the back entrance"
    
2. Located at or near the back of an animal
   "back legs";
   - hind, hinder
    
3. Of an earlier date
   "back issues of the magazine"
    
4. Far from the main area or way
   "she knows a back route"

Derived forms: backing, backs, backed

See also: aft, back out, back up, backmost, hindermost, hindmost, noncurrent, posterior, rear, rearmost, rearward

Type of: affirm, approve, back up, bet, body part, change over, cloth covering, confirm, corroborate, finance, football player [N. Amer], footballer [N. Amer], go, greenlight, green-light, lie, locomote, move, O.K., OK, okay, place, play, position, protection, protective cover, protective covering, sanction, shift, side, skeletal structure, strengthen, substantiate, support, sustain, switch, toughen, travel, wager

Antonym: bring forward, face, forward, front, veer

Part of: axial skeleton, backfield, body, book, car seat, chair, secondary, torso, trunk, volume

Encyclopedia: Back, Manitoba