back to the wall
2
7.6
- idiom
- Informal
:
con la espalda contra la pared
- But this helps explain why Alawites feel they have their back to the wall, and why they're willing, in a sense, to go down with this regime and why it's going to be long and bloody.
- keep your back to the wall
Examples
-
The lights blink off again and Jill begins to edge down the passage, keeping her back to the wall.
Fiction book (1990) -
He'd ordered a whiskey and sat down alone at a table in the rear, following his rule of always keeping his back to the wall so no one could sneak up behind him.
Fiction book (1991) -
With our backs to the wall.
-
But he was an intelligent man, and with his back to the wall, he was a genius.
-
You're leaving me with my back to the wall here.
-
And now that the Man has got our backs to the wall... I ain't gonna let him hurt the kids.
-
Two bullets had struck our house, and just outside a German soldier was sitting on the sidewalk with his back to the wall.
Academic text (2011) -
She went in uneasily, keeping her back to the wall.
Fiction book (1990) -
Won't be able to help you if I come back and you're gone." Gabriel pulled up an empty hogshead and sat down with his back to the wall, exhausted.
Fiction book (2002) -
Facing severe financial difficulties, they felt they had their back to the wall and had no choice but to fight for their business.
Synonyms
15
7.7
Very close to failure or defeat with little chance to recover
14
6.1
A final strong effort to resist a change or attack when defeat seems near
4
6.7
A situation when you must succeed because failure is not allowed
In a weak position after a problem or unexpected event
A hard situation where no choice seems good
Antonyms
How Desperate
- Informal
11
7.5
- Informal
9
6.7
- Informal
2
7.6
- Informal
8
4.2
∞
3.1
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase evokes the literal image of having one’s back against a wall, which directly signals being trapped or having few options; a learner who knows 'back', 'to', 'the' and 'wall' can plausibly infer the figurative sense. This physical-to-figurative mapping is common cross-linguistically (e.g. Spanish 'con la espalda contra la pared'), so the meaning is readily accessible to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Back to the wall comes from the image of someone standing with their back against a wall, so they cannot run and must fight or act to survive. That's why it means 'in a desperate situation' or 'having very few options'.