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back

∞ 1.0
The rear part of a person's or animal's body
  • noun
  • /bæk/
: espalda
  • This guy had a tattoo on his back of Angel wings.
  • back pain
  • front and back
  • lower back

This guy had a tattoo on his back of Angel wings.

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Examples

  • The hairs on the back of my neck, okay, sizzling.

  • I got into the back of the car.

  • Why would you want your back to look so long?

  • So First off, the back of this feels so good.

  • So the big one goes on my back, obviously.

  • The body lay on its back.

  • One day he walked up to the back door for a visit with Pop.

    Academic text (1999)
  • And let's just say my back was a little bit painful.

  • I've got some clothes in the back room.

  • The doctor examined the rash on the back of the patient.

Synonyms

rear
vsback
129 1.0

The back part of something, like a car or building

is the common everyday word for that same part
back end
vsback
25 3.8

The rear part of something opposite the front

is more general covering the opposite side of people animals and places
backside
vsback
22 1.6

The rear side of something like a building or card

is a more general term for the same opposite side
backend
vsback
2 4.4

The back part of something, often a car or building, and the final stage of a project

is the general spatial term for the side opposite the front
dorsum
vsback
  • Specialized
1 9.9

The top surface of an animal or body part that faces up

is broader applying to any side opposite the front not only upper body surfaces

Antonyms

∞ 1.0

The part of something that faces forward toward a person or entrance

Idioms

475 2.0

Moving one way and then the other again and again

224 4.3

In a secret way without someone knowing, often to hurt them

back in the day
  • Informal
187 5.5

A time in the past people remember with warm feelings, often when they were young

148 4.1

Support and protect someone in hard times

way back when
  • Informal
40 7.3

A long time ago

Returned to taking part after being away or having problems

A point after which you cannot go back or undo a decision

23 5.5

Become successful or active again after a long time away

21 4.3

To start again after a failure

from way back
  • Informal
18 7.7

Since a long time ago

17 5.2

To go back to an earlier time or wish you could

16 5.0

Kept for later and given lower priority

To go to a place and back again

Because of something, often a success, something else happens

10 5.0

To try again after a failure, especially when you feel afraid

Start again from the beginning when a plan or idea fails

8 7.2

A person who gives all they have to help others

6 6.4

You have support or good conditions that help you succeed

Look out for each other in dangerous situations

So generous that they would give almost everything to help others

back to the wall
  • Informal
3 7.6

In a situation with very few choices where you must try hard to survive or win

To start doing your normal work and activities after a break

3 6.3

Feel very strong love for someone

2 7.2

Able to work well again after a break

To annoy someone or make them feel defensive

To try to undo something you cannot change

To have very hard times and still survive

Progress that bigger problems later undo

1 9.0

Not upset or harmed when something happens to someone else

To get things someone probably stole and sold cheaply

Does not let criticism or insults affect them

To make someone angry or ready to argue

Try to make things the way they were after they changed

1 6.9

Make someone feel young again when they remember the past

To praise yourself too much for something you did

1 9.6

A future problem someone creates for themselves that causes trouble later

Very annoyed and no longer willing to accept someone or something

1 9.6

To be told off strongly or to listen very carefully

1 8.6

In a weak position after a problem or unexpected event

Lying on the back on the ground because someone is tired, hurt, or sick

Treat someone in the same bad way they treated you

back end of a bus
  • Offensive
1 9.9

Something that looks very ugly and unpleasant

6.0

To work very hard at something until you are very tired

A style that looks formal at the front and casual at the back

Surprised and not ready to deal with a sudden problem

To notice things happening behind you without turning around

A face that people think is very ugly

To know something very well and do it easily

Know a place or thing very well because you have seen it many times

Do something that causes trouble for yourself later

8.7

A problem that stays with you and causes worry

8.1

Someone keeps something secret to use later for an advantage

Compounds

197 1.0

A door at the back of a building used as an extra entrance

out back
  • Informal
169 2.3

The area outside at the back of a building or house

running back
  • Jargon
110 2.8

A player in American football who runs with the ball to gain yards for the team

94 3.4

A room at the back of a shop or office used for private meetings with a few people

72 3.7

Happening one after another with no break between them

47 3.6

Calling someone again after missing their call or message

29 2.7

A narrow street behind buildings used as a shortcut

28 3.1

A small quiet road used to avoid traffic and reach local homes

25 3.8

The rear part of something opposite the front

24 2.3

A covered area outside at the back door of a house

back burner
  • Informal
21 3.9

A task or plan kept for later because it is not urgent

20 5.9

A secret way to enter a system or place by avoiding security

back channel
  • Literature
14 7.7

A secret way to talk privately between governments or leaders

call-back
  • Jargon
13 4.1

Asking workers who were laid off to return to work

12 1.8

A door at the back of a building that people use to enter

A promise from a seller to give back the full price if you are not satisfied

back talk
  • Informal
8 7.2

Rude replies people give to someone in charge

8 5.7

A remote wild area far from towns and roads

8 3.3

A narrow street behind main streets that few people use

back office
  • Jargon
7 3.7

A part of a company that does office and support work away from customers

6 3.4

A quick recovery after a setback

back pocket
  • Informal
6 4.2

A plan kept ready to use in case of need

back end
  • Specialized
6 3.7

The part of a program that runs on a server and stores and processes data

back brace
  • Specialized
5 3.9

A device you wear around your back to support it and help you sit or stand straight

5 3.5

An order for goods not in stock that are sent later

The back part of a goal where the ball goes when a player scores

3 2.2

A tooth at the back of the mouth, like a molar

Made quickly and simply to give a rough calculation or plan

2 9.8

A place far from towns and people

Three events happening one after another without a break

bounce-back
  • Texting
1 3.7

An automatic message that tells the sender their email was not delivered

1 9.6

A distant part of a farm often about forty acres used for grazing or crops

1 3.0

The movement of a ball or object after it hits a surface and comes back

A move that makes the muscles in your back stronger

back-seat driver
  • Offensive
1 5.3

A person who gives unwanted advice while someone else does a task

back-blast
  • Specialized
1 8.8

A strong flow of hot gas pushed back from a fired weapon that can injure people behind it

1 7.8

A chair with a back made of horizontal slats like a ladder

A pain in the back muscles that comes after lifting or sudden movement

1 8.4

The area where the lower back meets the bottom

1 8.9

A person who works secretly to influence decisions

A wooden chair with a back made of several flat horizontal pieces

call-back
  • Specialized
1 5.9

A piece of code given to another function to run later when an action finishes

1 7.2

A less-used hallway at the back of a building that people use for private or service access

back matter
  • Specialized
1 6.0

Sections at the end of a book that give extra information like appendices and an index

1 3.6

Relating to the countryside and a simple, not fancy way of life

back judge
  • Jargon
1 5.5

An official in American football who stands deep behind defenders to watch the play and enforce rules

1 4.3

Showing quick recovery after a setback

Exercise where you bend your upper body back to strengthen the lower back

back-formation
  • Specialized
1 8.6

A word made by removing an ending from a longer word

back stance
  • Specialized
1 6.7

A martial arts position with the back leg bent and the front leg straight for balance and quick movement

relation back
  • Formal
1 9.9

Treating a later court document as filed on an earlier date

set-back
  • Specialized
1 8.3

A part of a building where the wall becomes narrower in steps

laid-back friend
  • Informal
1 3.0

A friend who is relaxed and does not get stressed easily

pass-back
  • Specialized
1 3.2

A ball moved backward to a teammate to keep possession

back-number
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who is no longer important or fashionable

1 9.1

A return to an earlier style or idea

back vowel
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A vowel you make with the tongue near the back of the mouth, like the 'o' in pole

1 9.9

An illegal drug that makes you see things that are not real

flanker back
  • Jargon
1 7.7

An American football player who stands near the sideline to catch passes

back bearing
  • Specialized
6.8

A direction directly opposite the one you found that you use to check your position

back circle
  • Specialized
9.3

A gymnastics move where a person lies on their back, arches their back and brings their feet to their head

back saw
  • Specialized
6.0

A saw with a stiff top edge used for making small, precise cuts in wood

A person well known in a small group, often a supporting actor in theatre

A person who secretly breaks into computer systems to steal information

back yer
  • Specialized
9.9

A Cyrillic letter written as Ъ or ъ that shows a hard consonant sound

back-patty
  • Slang
9.9

A small private action of praising yourself for something you did

7.4

A secret plan you keep to use if the main plan fails

hollow-back
  • Specialized
9.6

A deep inward curve in the lower back that changes posture

4.2

Sending a file back to the person who handled it before for review

water back
  • Archaic
8.9

A tank behind a stove or fireplace that heats water for home use

How Forward

leading edge
  • Specialized
5 5.3
front end
27 3.6
middle
∞ 1.0
back
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

back singular
backs plural

Etymology

Back comes from the old English word bæc meaning 'rear', so the back of a person or object is the rear part opposite the front.