5. adj. (not comparable) Moving or operating backward.
back action
6. adj. (comparable, phonetics) Pronounced with the highest part of the body of the tongue toward the back of the mouth, near the soft palate (most often describing a vowel).
The vowel of smallcaps - lot has a back vowel in most dialects of England.
7. adv. (not comparable) To or in a previous condition or place.
He gave back the money. He needs his money back. He was on vacation, but now he’s back. The office fell into chaos when you left, but now order is back.
8. adv. Away from the front or from an edge.
Sit all the way back in your chair.
Step back from the curb.
9. adv. In a manner that impedes.
Fear held him back.
10. adv. In a reciprocal manner.
If you hurt me, I'll hurt you back.
11. adv. Earlier, ago.
many years back
12. n. The rear of the 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?
13. n. The spine and associated tissues.
I hurt my back lifting those crates.
14. n. (slang) Large and attractive buttocks.
15. n. (figurative) The part of a piece of clothing which covers the back.
I still need to finish the back of your dress.
16. n. The backrest, the part of a piece of furniture which receives the human back.
Can you fix the back of this chair?
17. n. (obsolete) That part of the body that bears clothing. (Now used only in the phrase clothes on one's back.)
18. n. That which is farthest away from the front.
He sat in the back of the room.
19. n. The side of any object which is opposite the front or useful side.
Turn the book over and look at the back.
20. n. # The edge of a book which is bound.
# The titles are printed on the backs of the books.
21. n. # (printing) The inside margin of a page.
22. n. # The side of a blade opposite the side used for cutting.
# Tap it with the back of your knife.
23. n. The reverse side; the side that is not normally seen.
I hung the clothes on the back of the door.
24. n. Area behind, such as the backyard of a house.
We'll meet out in the back of the library.
25. n. The part of something that goes last.
The car was near the back of the train.
26. n. (sports) In some team sports, a position behind most players on the team.
The backs were lined up in an I formation.
27. n. (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.
28. n. A support or resource in reserve.
29. n. (nautical) The keel and keelson of a ship.
The ship's back broke in the pounding surf.
30. n. (mining) The roof of a horizontal underground passage.
31. n. (slang) Effort, usually physical.
Put some back into it!
32. n. A non-alcoholic drink (often water or a soft drink), to go with hard liquor or a cocktail.
Could I get a martini with a water back?
33. n. Among leather dealers, one of the thickest and stoutest tanned hides.
34. v. (intransitive) To go in the reverse direction.
the train backed into the station; the horse refuses to back
35. v. To support.
I back you all the way; which horse are you backing in this race?
36. v. (nautical, of the wind) To change direction contrary to the normal pattern; that is, to shift anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, or clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
37. v. (nautical, of a square sail) To brace the yards so that the wind presses on the front of the sail, to slow the ship.
38. v. (nautical, of an anchor) To lay out a second, smaller anchor to provide additional holding power.
39. v. (of a hunting dog) To stand still behind another dog which has pointed.
40. v. To push or force backwards.
to back oxen
The mugger backed her into a corner and demanded her wallet.
41. v. (transitive, obsolete) To get upon the back of; to mount.
42. v. (transitive, obsolete) To place or seat upon the back.
43. v. To make a back for; to furnish with a back.
to back books
44. v. To adjoin behind; to be at the back of.
45. v. To write upon the back of, possibly as an endorsement.
to back a letter; to back a note or legal document
46. v. (legal, of a justice of the peace) To sign or endorse (a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender).
47. v. To row backward with (oars).
to back the oars
48. n. 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.
