GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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Found 6 definitions 

  1.       

    Back , n. [F. bac: cf. Arm. bag, bak a bark, D. bak tray, bowl.]
    1. A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc.
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      Hop back, Jack back, the cistern which receives the infusion of malt and hops from the copper. --  Wash back, a vat in which distillers ferment the wort to form wash. -- Water back, a cistern to hold a supply of water; esp. a small cistern at the back of a stove, or a group of pipes set in the fire box of a stove or furnace, through which water circulates and is heated.
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    2. A ferryboat.  See Bac, 1.
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  2.       

    Back , n. [AS. bæc, bac; akin to Icel., Sw., & LG. bak, Dan. bag; cf. OHG. bahho ham, Skr. bhaj to turn, OSlav. bēgŭ flight. Cf. Bacon.]
    1. In human beings, the hinder part of the body, extending from the neck to the end of the spine; in other animals, that part of the body which corresponds most nearly to such part of a human being; as, the back of a horse, fish, or lobster.
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    2. An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge.
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      [The mountains] their broad bare backs upheave
      Into the clouds.
      Milton.

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    3. The outward or upper part of a thing, as opposed to the inner or lower part; as, the back of the hand, the back of the foot, the back of a hand rail.
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      Methought Love pitying me, when he saw this,
      Gave me your hands, the backs and palms to kiss.
      Donne.

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    4. The part opposed to the front; the hinder or rear part of a thing; as, the back of a book; the back of an army; the back of a chimney.
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    5. The part opposite to, or most remote from, that which fronts the speaker or actor; or the part out of sight, or not generally seen; as, the back of an island, of a hill, or of a village.
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    6. The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge; as, the back of a knife, or of a saw.
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    7. A support or resource in reserve.
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      This project
      Should have a back or second, that might hold,
      If this should blast in proof.
      Shak.

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    8. (Naut.) The keel and keelson of a ship.
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    9. (Mining) The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage.
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    10. A garment for the back; hence, clothing. [Obs.]
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      A bak to walken inne by daylight.
      Chaucer.

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      Behind one's back, when one is absent; without one's knowledge; as, to ridicule a person behind his back. -- Full back, Half back, Quarter back (Football), players stationed behind those in the front line. -- To be on one's back or To lie on one's back, to be helpless. -- To put one's back up or to get one's back up, to assume an attitude of obstinate resistance (from the action of a cat when attacked). [Colloq.] -- To see the back of, to get rid of.  -- To turn the back, to go away; to flee. -- To turn the back on one, to forsake or neglect him.
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  3.       

    Back, a.
    1. Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as, the back door; back settlements.
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    2. Being in arrear; overdue; as, back rent.
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    3. Moving or operating backward; as, back action.
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      Back blocks, Australian pastoral country which is remote from the seacoast or from a river. 
      Webster 1913 Suppl.
       -- Back charges, charges brought forward after an account has been made up. -- Back filling (Arch.), the mass of materials used in filling up the space between two walls, or between the inner and outer faces of a wall, or upon the haunches of an arch or vault.  --  Back pressure. (Steam Engine) See under Pressure. -- Back rest, a guide attached to the slide rest of a lathe, and placed in contact with the work, to steady it in turning. -- Back slang, a kind of slang in which every word is written or pronounced backwards; as, nam for man. -- Back stairs, stairs in the back part of a house; private stairs.  Also used adjectively. See Back stairs, Backstairs, and Backstair, in the Vocabulary. -- Back step (Mil.), the retrograde movement of a man or body of men, without changing front. -- Back stream, a current running against the main current of a stream; an eddy.  --  To take the back track, to retrace one's steps; to retreat. [Colloq.]
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  4.       

    Back , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Backed ; p. pr. & vb. n. Backing.]
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    1. To get upon the back of; to mount.
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      I will back him [a horse] straight.
      Shak.

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    2. To place or seat upon the back. [R.]
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      Great Jupiter, upon his eagle backed,
      Appeared to me.
      Shak.

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    3. To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as, to back oxen.
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    4. To make a back for; to furnish with a back; as, to back books.
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    5. To adjoin behind; to be at the back of.
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      A garden . . . with a vineyard backed.
      Shak.

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      The chalk cliffs which back the beach.
      Huxley.

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    6. To write upon the back of; as, to back a letter; to indorse; as, to back a note or legal document.
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    7. To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence; as, to back a friend. “The Parliament would be backed by the people.”  
      Macaulay.

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      Have still found it necessary to back and fortify their laws with rewards and punishments.
      South.

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      The mate backed the captain manfully.
      Blackw. Mag.

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    8. To bet on the success of; -- as, to back a race horse.
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      To back an anchor (Naut.), to lay down a small anchor ahead of a large one, the cable of the small one being fastened to the crown of the large one. -- To back the field, in horse racing, to bet against a particular horse or horses, that some one of all the other horses, collectively designated “the field”, will win. -- To back the oars, to row backward with the oars.  -- To back a rope, to put on a preventer. -- To back the sails, to arrange them so as to cause the ship to move astern.  -- To back up, to support; to sustain; as, to back up one's friends. -- To back a warrant (Law), is for a justice of the peace, in the county where the warrant is to be executed, to sign or indorse a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender. -- To back water (Naut.),  to reverse the action of the oars, paddles, or propeller, so as to force the boat or ship backward.
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  5.       

    Back, v. i.
    1. To move or go backward; as, the horse refuses to back.
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    2. (Naut.) To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; -- used of the wind.
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    3. (Sporting) To stand still behind another dog which has pointed; -- said of a dog. [Eng.]
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      To back and fill, to manage the sails of a ship so that the wind strikes them alternately in front and behind, in order to keep the ship in the middle of a river or channel while the current or tide carries the vessel against the wind.  Hence: (Fig.) To take opposite positions alternately; to assert and deny.  [Colloq.] -- To back out, To back down, to retreat or withdraw from a promise, engagement, or contest; to recede. [Colloq.]
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      Cleon at first . . . was willing to go; but, finding that he [Nicias] was in earnest, he tried to back out.
      Jowett (Thucyd. )

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  6.       

    Back, adv. [Shortened from aback.]
    1. In, to, or toward, the rear; as, to stand back; to step back.
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    2. To the place from which one came; to the place or person from which something is taken or derived; as, to go back for something left behind; to go back to one's native place; to put a book back after reading it.
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    3. To a former state, condition, or station; as, to go back to private life; to go back to barbarism.
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    4. (Of time) In times past; ago. “Sixty or seventy years back.”  
      Gladstone.

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    5. Away from contact; by reverse movement.
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      The angel of the Lord . . . came, and rolled back the stone from the door.
      Matt. xxviii. 2.

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    6. In concealment or reserve; in one's own possession; as, to keep back the truth; to keep back part of the money due to another.
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    7. In a state of restraint or hindrance.
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      The Lord hath kept thee back from honor.
      Numb. xxiv. 11.

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    8. In return, repayment, or requital.
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      What have I to give you back?
      Shak.

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    9. In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking; as, he took back the offensive words.
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    10. In arrear; as, to be back in one's rent. [Colloq.]
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      Back and forth, backwards and forwards; to and fro.  --  To go back on, to turn back from; to abandon; to betray; as, to go back on a friend; to go back on one's professions. [Colloq.]
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