English adjective: back | |||
1. | back related to or located at the back | ||
Samples | The back yard. The back entrance. | ||
Similar | backmost, hindermost, hindmost, rear, rearmost, rearward | ||
See also | aft, posterior | ||
Antonyms | front | ||
2. | back located at or near the back of an animal | ||
Samples | Back (or hind) legs. The hinder part of a carcass. | ||
Synonyms | hind, hinder | ||
Similar | posterior | ||
Antonyms | anterior | ||
3. | back of an earlier date | ||
Samples | Back issues of the magazine. | ||
Similar | noncurrent | ||
Antonyms | current | ||
English noun: back | |||
1. | back (body) the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine | ||
Samples | His back was nicely tanned. | ||
Synonyms | dorsum | ||
Broader (hypernym) | body part | ||
Part holonym | dorsal vertebra, lat, latissimus dorsi, lumbar vertebra, saddle, small, thoracic vertebra | ||
Part meronym | body, torso, trunk | ||
2. | back (artifact) the side that goes last or is not normally seen | ||
Samples | He wrote the date on the back of the photograph. | ||
Synonyms | rear | ||
Broader (hypernym) | side | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | after part, empennage, poop, quarter, stern, tail, tail, tail assembly | ||
Antonyms | front | ||
3. | back (location) the part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer | ||
Samples | He stood at the back of the stage. It was hidden in the rear of the store. | ||
Synonyms | rear | ||
Broader (hypernym) | place, position | ||
Antonyms | front | ||
4. | back (person) (football) a person who plays in the backfield | ||
Broader (hypernym) | football player, footballer | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | field general, flanker, flanker back, quarterback, running back, signal caller, tailback, wingback | ||
Domain category | football, football game | ||
5. | back (body) the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord | ||
Samples | The fall broke his back. | ||
Synonyms | backbone, rachis, spinal column, spine, vertebral column | ||
Broader (hypernym) | skeletal structure | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | chine, notochord | ||
Part holonym | canalis vertebralis, coccyx, intervertebral disc, intervertebral disk, spinal canal, tail bone, vertebra, vertebral canal | ||
Part meronym | axial skeleton | ||
6. | back (artifact) the protective covering on the front, back, and spine of a book | ||
Samples | The book had a leather binding. | ||
Synonyms | binding, book binding, cover | ||
Broader (hypernym) | protection, protective cover, protective covering | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | half binding, three-quarter binding | ||
Part meronym | book, volume | ||
7. | back (artifact) the part of a garment that covers the back of your body | ||
Samples | They pinned a `kick me' sign on his back. | ||
Broader (hypernym) | cloth covering | ||
8. | back (artifact) a support that you can lean against while sitting | ||
Samples | The back of the dental chair was adjustable. | ||
Synonyms | backrest | ||
Broader (hypernym) | support | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | cantle, ladder-back | ||
Part meronym | car seat, chair | ||
9. | back (act) (American football) the position of a player on a football team who is stationed behind the line of scrimmage | ||
Broader (hypernym) | position | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | field general, fullback, halfback, line backer, linebacker, quarterback, signal caller, tailback, wingback | ||
Member meronym | backfield, secondary | ||
Domain category | American football, American football game | ||
English adverb: back | |||
1. | back in or to or toward a former location | ||
Samples | She went back to her parents' house. | ||
2. | back at or to or toward the back or rear | ||
Samples | He moved back. Tripped when he stepped backward. She looked rearward out the window of the car. | ||
Synonyms | backward, backwards, rearward, rearwards | ||
Antonyms | forrad, forrard, forward, forwards, frontward, frontwards | ||
3. | back in or to or toward an original condition | ||
Samples | He went back to sleep. | ||
4. | back in or to or toward a past time | ||
Samples | Set the clocks back an hour. Never look back. Lovers of the past looking fondly backward. | ||
Synonyms | backward | ||
Antonyms | ahead, forward | ||
5. | back in reply | ||
Samples | He wrote back three days later. | ||
6. | back in repayment or retaliation | ||
Samples | 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. | ||
English verb: back | |||
1. | back (social) be behind; approve of | ||
Samples | He plumped for the Labor Party. I backed Kennedy in 1960. | ||
Synonyms | endorse, indorse, plump for, plunk for, support | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s somebody | ||
Broader (hypernym) | approve, O.K., okay, sanction | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | champion, defend, guarantee, warrant | ||
Verb group | back, endorse, indorse, second | ||
2. | back (motion) travel backward | ||
Samples | Back into the driveway. The car backed up and hit the tree. | ||
Pattern of use | Something is ----ing PP. Somebody ----s PP | ||
Broader (hypernym) | go, locomote, move, travel | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | back out | ||
Verb group | back | ||
3. | back (social) give support or one's approval to | ||
Samples | I'll second that motion. I can't back this plan. Endorse a new project. | ||
Synonyms | endorse, indorse, second | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | back up, support | ||
Verb group | back, endorse, indorse, plump for, plunk for, support | ||
4. | back (motion) cause to travel backward | ||
Samples | Back the car into the parking spot. | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s somebody PP. Somebody ----s something PP | ||
Cause | back | ||
Verb group | back | ||
Antonyms | bring forward, advance | ||
5. | back (possession) support financial backing for | ||
Samples | Back this enterprise. | ||
Examples | Sam and Sue back the movie | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | finance | ||
6. | back (stative) be in back of | ||
Samples | My garage backs their yard. | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | lie | ||
Antonyms | front, face, look | ||
7. | back (competition) place a bet on | ||
Samples | Which horse are you backing?. I'm betting on the new horse. | ||
Synonyms | bet on, gage, game, punt, stake | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Somebody ----s on something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | bet, play, wager | ||
Narrower (hyponym) | ante, double up, parlay | ||
8. | back (change) shift to a counterclockwise direction | ||
Samples | The wind backed. | ||
Pattern of use | Something ----s | ||
Broader (hypernym) | change over, shift, switch | ||
Antonyms | veer | ||
9. | back (change) establish as valid or genuine | ||
Samples | Can you back up your claims?. | ||
Synonyms | back up | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something. Something ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | affirm, confirm, corroborate, substantiate, support, sustain | ||
10. | back (change) strengthen by providing with a back or backing | ||
Pattern of use | Somebody ----s something | ||
Broader (hypernym) | strengthen | ||