back and forth |
moving backward then forward, or forward then backward, often repeatedly. [2 definitions] |
backbeat |
a primary accent on the second and fourth beats of a four-beat measure, common in popular music; secondary beat. |
backbencher |
a junior legislator, esp. in Great Britain's House of Commons, who is not one of his or her party's leaders. |
backbite |
to criticize harshly or speak badly of (an absent person). |
backboard |
a board at the rear of something, serving as a support. [2 definitions] |
backbone |
the series of bones that run along the center of the back; spinal column; vertebrae. [3 definitions] |
backbreaking |
requiring exceptional physical effort; exhausting. |
back burner |
a state of temporary low priority (usu. prec. by "on the"). |
backcheck |
in hockey, to check (an opposing player) in the vicinity of one's own goal. (Cf. forecheck.) |
backcourt |
in basketball, the half of the court that a team is defending. (Cf. forecourt.) [3 definitions] |
backdate |
to mark with a date that is prior to the actual date; predate. |
backdoor |
done in secret; surreptitious. |
backdrop |
a curtain at the rear of a stage setting, upon which are painted elements of the setting such as windows, furniture, the sky, or the like. [2 definitions] |
backed |
having a back or support (often used in combination). |
backer |
someone who supports or gives time or money to a business, a cause, or the like. |
backfield |
in football, those offensive players whose position is behind the line, or those defensive players whose position is behind the linebackers. [2 definitions] |
backfill |
to refill with what was previously removed. [2 definitions] |
backfire |
to emit a loud noise as the result of inefficient functioning of the engine of a car or other internal-combustion vehicle. [4 definitions] |
back formation |
in linguistics, a word that appears to be the base of, but was actually formed from, another word, as "trivia" from "trivial". |
backgammon |
a board game in which each of two opponents throws dice and tries to move several pieces clockwise around and eventually off the board. |
background |
a part located in the rear, esp. as depicted in a painting, photograph, or scene. (Cf. foreground.) [5 definitions] |