to back down
107
3.7
- phrasal verb
- /bæk daʊn/
:
ceder
- So far, the British government is resisting pressure to weaken the EV mandate, but they may have to back down if it starts to impact employment.
- forced to back down
- refuse to back down
- the government backed down
Well, you could back down or you could open fire.
- Well, you could back down or you could open fire.
- But after that the court did back down somewhat.
- These are guys who did not back down from a fight.
- And I haven't had my ego or my temp or whatever it is won't back down.
- So far, the British government is resisting pressure to weaken the EV mandate, but they may have to back down if it starts to impact employment.
- But because I will struggle or make difficult, or maybe he was worried about noise or whatever, he would back down and stop.
- And the students got up in arms and the administration back down and, and sacked him.
Examples
-
We don't have to back down!
-
In the face of strong criticism, he chose to back down from his earlier statement.
-
- You really think he'll back down?
-
Because I will not back down, ever!
-
So, for both of us, would you please back down?
-
It's just like you to back down again.
-
Neither man will back down!
-
Sam wanted to run, but he had come too far to back down now.
Fiction book (2000) -
They've gone too far to back down now.
-
If the conventional wisdom is correct, Beijing was forced to back down in previous confrontations.
Academic text (2003)
Synonyms
356
2.8
Move away from someone, or stop taking part in something
220
3.0
To stop resisting and agree to what others want
206
3.4
To stop being involved in an activity or agreement
162
3.4
To move yourself and things backward from a place, person, or situation
123
5.1
To stop doing a job, duty or action after someone tells you to
103
3.7
To take back something you said before, especially in public
79
3.4
Decide not to do something you promised to do
69
6.3
To give up a right, belief, job, or position officially
61
3.5
Say that what you said before was wrong and you no longer believe it
59
3.9
Stop supporting or taking part in a plan because you feel unsure
57
3.7
To move back to a safer place when facing danger
44
8.6
Say publicly that you no longer believe something you said before
42
6.2
Decide not to do something difficult or risky because you are afraid
41
6.0
To take back a statement or opinion in public
31
5.8
To stop resisting and allow something to happen, like a person giving in or a storm easing
23
8.4
To stop fighting back and accept defeat or demands
20
4.9
To stop doing a job or role politely
10
6.5
To try to change a previous statement or position to avoid criticism
4
4.1
To move backwards away from something because of fear or surprise
3
6.2
Take back a public statement or position after pressure
1
4.0
To move back from a place or position, often to a safer spot
1
8.4
To officially take back a promise or plan
1
7.4
Give something to another person because you are forced to do so
1
7.9
To change an earlier decision or statement because of pressure
1
9.9
To leave a group or activity because you do not get your way
Leave a meeting or project because you are upset
To withdraw from a promise or agreement, often officially under pressure
To try to avoid doing something you promised or agreed to do
Take back a promise or support you gave
Antonyms
How Firm
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to withdraw from a position' is only partly inferable: one can construe a metaphorical retreat from combining a sense of moving 'back' with 'down' (a reduction or yielding), but the provided headword definitions ('back' = to support; 'down' = lower) do not transparently compose to the target sense. Because the relation is metaphorical and depends on phrasal-verb usage rather than straightforward composition, a B1 learner who only knows the constituents would likely be unsure without prior exposure.
Etymology
Back down comes from the image of stepping back and down a hill or stairs when you cannot hold your place. So when someone 'backs down' in an argument, they step away from their earlier position and give it up, which is why the phrase means 'to withdraw from a claim or commitment'.