Etymology

Noun

1. The rear of body, especially the part between the neck and the end of the spine and opposite the chest and belly.

   Could you please scratch my back?

2. The spine and associated tissues.

   I hurt my back lifting that dictionary.

3. The side of any object which is opposite the front or useful side.

   Turn the book over and look at the back.

4. The reverse side; the side that is not normally seen.

   I hung the clothes on the back of the door.

5. That which is farthest away from the front.

   He sat in the back of the room.

6. Area behind, such as the backyard of a house

   We'll meet out in the back of the library.

7. The part of something that goes last.

   The car was near the back of the train.

8. The side of a blade opposite the side used for cutting.

   Tap it with the back of your knife.

9. The part of a piece of clothing which covers the back.

   I still need to finish the back of your dress.

10. The edge of a book which is bound.

    The titles are printed on the backs of the books.

11. The backrest, the part of a piece of furniture which receives the human back.

    Can you fix the back of this chair?

12. Upper part of a natural object which is considered to resemble an animal's back.

    The small boat raced over the backs of the waves.

13. That part of the body that bears clothing.
    • 1. In some team sports, a position behind most players on the team.

         The backs were lined up in an I formation.

      2. The keel and keelson of a ship.

         The ship's back broke in the pounding surf.

      3. The inside margin of a page.
         • 1. The roof of a horizontal underground passage.
              • 1. Effort, usually physical.

                   Put some back into it!

                2. Large and attractive buttocks.
                   • 
                     

                     Adjective

                     
                     
                     
                     1. Near the rear.

                        Go in the back door of the house.

                     2. Not current.

                        I’d like to find a back issue of that magazine.

                     3. Far from the main area.

                        They took a back road.

                        That chore has been in the back of my mind for weeks.

                     4. Produced in the back of the mouth.

                        "U" in "rude" is a back vowel.

                     
                     

                     Verb

                     
                     
                     
                     1. To go in the reverse direction.

                        The train backed into the station.

                     2. To support.

                        I back you all the way.

                     3. the change direction contrary to its normal pattern (anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, clockwise in the southern)
                     4. to brace the yards so that the wind presses on the front of the sail, to slow the ship
                     5. to lay out a second, smaller anchor to provide additional holding power
                     
                     

                     Adverb

                     
                     
                     
                     1. (Not comparable) To or in a previous condition or place.

                        He gave back the money.

                        He needs his money back

                        He was on vacation, but now he’s back.

                        The office fell into chaos when you left, but now order is back.

                     2. Away from the front or from an edge.

                        Sit all the way back in your chair.

                        Step back from the curb.

                     3. In a manner that impedes.

                        Fear held him back.