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Glite Dictionary
🚗 To move backward 🤝 To support 💾 To copy data 🚱 To block
to back up

to back up

321 3.0
Help someone or show evidence for an idea
  • phrasal verb
  • /bæk ʌp/
: respaldar
  • The regular teacher is right there to back you up, and the children will love you.
  • back up a claim
  • back up with evidence
  • back up the findings

And then you, you back up your claims with the facts.

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Examples

  • And we have evidence to back it up, if you remember.

  • Do we have statistics to back up my claim?

  • You might not have any research to back you up on your views.

  • Will you back me up here?

    Cellular (2004)

  • And then you, you back up your claims with the facts.

    The Rich Dad Channel

  • When the person backs you up, you feel much better inside.

  • One would expect such a consensus to be backed up by an impressive array of evidence.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Opponents had statistical information to back up this narrative of the good mother.

    Academic text (2005)

  • Americo Castro cited many examples to back up his vision of an "oriental" Spain.

    Academic text (1996)

  • Can you provide some data to back up your argument in the debate?

Synonyms

to support
vsto back up
∞ 1.0

Give help to a person or idea

includes providing evidence as well as encouragement or practical help
to help someone out
vsto back up
  • Informal
867 1.3

Give someone support with a task or problem when they need it

tends to mean short term, practical aid rather than broader backing or evidence
to back
vsto back up
848 1.0

To support someone or something

focuses more on broad support that can include evidence and encouragement
to have (someone's) back
vsto back up
  • Informal
148 4.1

Support and protect someone in hard times

is wider and can include evidence or general encouragement, not only protection
to offer support
vsto back up
31 2.7

To give help to someone during a difficult time

is wider covering ongoing aid and evidence not just temporary help

Antonyms

to abandon
607 3.1

Leave someone or something behind permanently and without care

to neglect
189 3.8

Fail to care for someone or something you should look after

How Supportive

to champion
67 4.2
to support
∞ 1.0
to back up
321 3.0
to endorse
366 4.2

Surface Forms

back up infinitive
backed up past
backed up past participle
backing up present participle
backs up third person singular

Morphology

back + up

The parts give partial clues: 'back' evokes movement toward the rear and 'up' often conveys accumulation or completion (compare 'pile up' or 'clog up'), so a learner might infer a sense of things building up. However, the specific sense 'become blocked/obstructed' for systems or pipes is a somewhat specialized extension and not fully predictable from the literal meanings, so prior exposure helps.

Etymology

Back up comes from the image of someone standing at your back and holding you up so you do not fall, giving help when you need it. That's why back up means 'to support' or give evidence.