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Glite Dictionary
to back is/was up

to back is/was up

8.4
Feel angry and ready to argue when someone criticizes you
  • phrasal verb
  • Informal
: ponerse a la defensiva
  • Don't be surprised if her back is up after that comment!

Examples

  • Whenever she felt unfairly treated, her back was up in an instant.

  • When he feels criticized, his back is up and he tends to argue defensively.

  • His back is up whenever someone criticizes his work.

  • You could tell their backs were up as soon as the discussion turned critical.

  • His back was up when they questioned his decision.

  • If her back is up, you should be careful what you say.

  • I noticed his back was up during the meeting, making him seem more aggressive.

Synonyms

to have one's back up
vsto back is/was up
  • Informal
8.2

Get angry and defensive when you feel criticized

is defensive and prepared to argue without strong anger

Antonyms

calm
735 1.0

Not showing strong feelings and being very still

How Defensive

combative
31 6.1
to back is/was up
  • Informal
8.4
guarded
4.9
calm
735 1.0

Surface Forms

back is/was up infinitive

Morphology

back + is/was + up

The phrase combines 'back' and 'up' in a metaphorical way: one can imagine a raised or bristling back signaling defensiveness, but the idiomatic sense 'become defensive or ready to argue' is not a direct, compositional meaning of the parts. Because the connection is partly inferable through imagery but not reliably predictable for a B1 learner without exposure, it is best classified as semi-transparent.

Etymology

Back is/was up comes from the image of an animal, like a cat, that raises its back and fur when it feels threatened. The up shows the back is lifted, so the phrase means 'to become defensive or ready to argue'.