Back /(băk)/

Back

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.
A ferryboat. See Bac, 1.

Hop back: the cistern which receives the infusion of malt and hops from the copper.
Wash back: a vat in which distillers ferment the wort to form wash.
Water back: a cistern to hold a supply of water; esp. a small cistern at the back of a stove, or a group of pipes set in the fire box of a stove or furnace, through which water circulates and is heated.

In human beings, the hinder part of the body, extending from the neck to the end of the spine; in other animals, that part of the body which corresponds most nearly to such part of a human being; as, the back of a horse, fish, or lobster.
An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge.
[The mountains] their broad bare backs upheave Into the clouds.
— Milton.
The outward or upper part of a thing, as opposed to the inner or lower part; as, the back of the hand, the back of the foot, the back of a hand rail.
Methought Love pitying me, when he saw this, Gave me your hands, the backs and palms to kiss.
— Donne.
The part opposed to the front; the hinder or rear part of a thing; as, the back of a book; the back of an army; the back of a chimney.
The part opposite to, or most remote from, that which fronts the speaker or actor; or the part out of sight, or not generally seen; as, the back of an island, of a hill, or of a village.
The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge; as, the back of a knife, or of a saw.
A support or resource in reserve.
This project Should have a back or second, that might hold, If this should blast in proof.
— Shak.
The keel and keelson of a ship. (Naut.)
The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage. (Mining)
A garment for the back; hence, clothing. [Obs.]
A bak to walken inne by daylight.
— Chaucer.

Behind one's back: when one is absent; without one's knowledge; as, to ridicule a person behind his back.
Full back: players stationed behind those in the front line.
To be on one's back: to be helpless.
To put one's back up: to assume an attitude of obstinate resistance (from the action of a cat when attacked).
To see the back of: to get rid of.
To turn the back: to go away; to flee.
To turn the back on one: to forsake or neglect him.

Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as, the back door; back settlements.
Being in arrear; overdue; as, back rent.
Moving or operating backward; as, back action.

Back blocks: Australian pastoral country which is remote from the seacoast or from a river.
Back charges: charges brought forward after an account has been made up.
Back filling: the mass of materials used in filling up the space between two walls, or between the inner and outer faces of a wall, or upon the haunches of an arch or vault.
Back pressure: See under Pressure.
Back rest: a guide attached to the slide rest of a lathe, and placed in contact with the work, to steady it in turning.
Back slang: a kind of slang in which every word is written or pronounced backwards; as, nam for man.
Back stairs: stairs in the back part of a house; private stairs. Also used adjectively. See Back stairs, Backstairs, and Backstair, in the Vocabulary.
Back step: the retrograde movement of a man or body of men, without changing front.
Back stream: a current running against the main current of a stream; an eddy.
To take the back track: to retrace one's steps; to retreat.

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Backed; p. pr. & vb. n. Backing

To get upon the back of; to mount.
I will back him [a horse] straight.
— Shak.
To place or seat upon the back. [R.]
Great Jupiter, upon his eagle backed, Appeared to me.
— Shak.
To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as, to back oxen.
To make a back for; to furnish with a back; as, to back books.
To adjoin behind; to be at the back of.
A garden . . . with a vineyard backed.
— Shak.

The chalk cliffs which back the beach.
— Huxley.
To write upon the back of; as, to back a letter; to indorse; as, to back a note or legal document.
To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence; as, to back a friend.
Have still found it necessary to back and fortify their laws with rewards and punishments.
— South.

The mate backed the captain manfully.
— Blackw. Mag.
To bet on the success of; -- as, to back a race horse.

To back an anchor: to lay down a small anchor ahead of a large one, the cable of the small one being fastened to the crown of the large one.
To back the field: in horse racing, to bet against a particular horse or horses, that some one of all the other horses, collectively designated “the field”, will win.
To back the oars: to row backward with the oars.
To back a rope: to put on a preventer.
To back the sails: to arrange them so as to cause the ship to move astern.
To back up: to support; to sustain; as, to back up one's friends.
To back a warrant: is for a justice of the peace, in the county where the warrant is to be executed, to sign or indorse a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender.
To back water: to reverse the action of the oars, paddles, or propeller, so as to force the boat or ship backward.

v. i.

To move or go backward; as, the horse refuses to back.
To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; -- used of the wind. (Naut.)
To stand still behind another dog which has pointed; -- said of a dog. (Sporting) [Eng.]
Cleon at first . . . was willing to go; but, finding that he [Nicias] was in earnest, he tried to back out.
— Jowett (Thucyd. )

To back and fill: to manage the sails of a ship so that the wind strikes them alternately in front and behind, in order to keep the ship in the middle of a river or channel while the current or tide carries the vessel against the wind.
To back out: to retreat or withdraw from a promise, engagement, or contest; to recede.

adv.

In, to, or toward, the rear; as, to stand back; to step back.
To the place from which one came; to the place or person from which something is taken or derived; as, to go back for something left behind; to go back to one's native place; to put a book back after reading it.
To a former state, condition, or station; as, to go back to private life; to go back to barbarism.
(Of time) In times past; ago.
Away from contact; by reverse movement.
The angel of the Lord . . . came, and rolled back the stone from the door.
— Matt. xxviii. 2.
In concealment or reserve; in one's own possession; as, to keep back the truth; to keep back part of the money due to another.
In a state of restraint or hindrance.
The Lord hath kept thee back from honor.
— Numb. xxiv. 11.
In return, repayment, or requital.
What have I to give you back?
— Shak.
In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking; as, he took back the offensive words.
In arrear; as, to be back in one's rent. [Colloq.]

Back and forth: backwards and forwards; to and fro.
To go back on: to turn back from; to abandon; to betray; as, to go back on a friend; to go back on one's professions.