| English verb: back out | |||
| 1. | back out (motion) move out of a space backwards | ||
| Samples | He backed out of the driveway. | ||
| Pattern of use | Somebody ----s. Somebody ----s PP | ||
| Broader (hypernym) | back | ||
| 2. | back out (communication) make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity | ||
| Samples | We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him. He backed out of his earlier promise. The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns. | ||
| Synonyms | back away, crawfish, crawfish out, pull back, pull in one's horns, retreat, withdraw | ||
| Pattern of use | Somebody ----s | ||
| Verb group | draw back, move back, pull away, pull back, recede, retire, retreat, withdraw | ||