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8 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Back \Back\, n. [F. bac: cf Arm. 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 {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. 2. A ferryboat. See {Bac}, 1. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Back \Back\, n. [As b[ae]c, bac; akin to Icel., Sw., & LG bak, Dan. bag; cf OHG. bahho ham, Skr. bhaj to turn, OSlav. b?g? 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. 2. An extended upper part as of a mountain or ridge. [The mountains] their broad bare backs upheave Into the clouds. --Milton. 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. Methought Love pitying me when he saw this Gave me your hands, the backs and palms to kiss. --Donne. 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. 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. 6. The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge; as the back of a knife, or of a saw. 7. A support or resource in reserve. This project Should have a back or second that might hold If this should blast in proof. --Shak. 8. (Naut.) The keel and keelson of a ship. 9. (Mining) The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage. 10. A garment for the back hence clothing. A bak to walken inne by daylight. --Chaucer. {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 or lie on one's back}, to be helpless. {To put}, {or 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 From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Back \Back\, a. 1. Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as the back door; back settlements. 2. Being in arrear; overdue; as back rent. 3. Moving or operating backward; as back action {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.] From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Back \Back\, adv [Shortened from aback.] 1. In to or toward, the rear; as to stand back to step back 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 3. To a former state, condition, or station; as to go back to private life; to go back to barbarism. 4. (Of time) In times past; ago. ``Sixty or seventy years back.'' --Gladstone. 5. Away from contact by reverse movement. The angel of the Lord . . . came and rolled back the stone from the door. --Matt. xxvii. 2. 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. 7. In a state of restraint or hindrance. The Lord hath kept thee back from honor. --Numb. xxiv. 11. 8. In return, repayment, or requital. What have I to give you back! --Shak. 9. In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking; as he took back0 the offensive words 10. In arrear; as to be back in one's rent. [Colloq.] {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.] From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Back \Back\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Backed}; p. pr & vb n. {Backing}.] 1. To get upon the back of to mount. I will back him [a horse] straight. --Shak. 2. To place or seat upon the back [R.] Great Jupiter, upon his eagle backed, Appeared to me --Shak. 3. To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as to back oxen. 4. To make a back for to furnish with a back as to back books. 5. To adjoin behind; to be at the back of A garden . . . with a vineyard backed. --Shak. The chalk cliffs which back the beach. --Huxley. 6. To write upon the back of as to back a letter; to indorse; as to back a note or legal document. 7. To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence; as to back a friend. ``Parliament would be backed by the people.'' --Macaulay. Have still found it necessary to back and fortify their laws with rewards and punishments. --South. The mate backed the captain manfully. --Blackw. Mag. 8. To bet on the success of -- as to back a race horse. {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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Back \Back\, v. i. 1. To move or go backward; as the horse refuses to back 2. (Naut.) To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; -- used of the wind. 3. (Sporting) To stand still behind another dog which has pointed; -- said of a dog. [Eng.] {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.] Cleon at first . . . was willing to go but finding that he [Nicias] was in earnest, he tried to back out --Jowett (Thucyd. ) From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: back adj 1: related to or located at the back "the back yard"; "the back entrance" [syn: {back(a)}] [ant: {front(a)}] 2: located at or near the back of an animal; "back (or hind) legs"; "the hinder part of a carcass" [syn: {back(a)}, {hind(a)}, {hinder(a)}] 3: of an earlier date; "back issues of the magazine" [syn: {back(a)}] n 1: the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine; "his back was nicely tanned" [syn: {dorsum}] 2: the side that goes last or is not normally seen; "he wrote the date on the back of the photograph" [syn: {rear}] [ant: {front}] 3: the part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer: "he stood at the back of the stage"; "it was hidden in the rear of the store" [syn: {rear}] [ant: {front}] 4: (football) a person who plays in the backfield 5: the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord; "the fall broke his back" [syn: {spinal column}, {vertebral column}, {spine}, {backbone}] 6: the front and back covering of a book; "the book had a leather binding" [syn: {binding}, {book binding}, {cover}] 7: the part of a garment that covers your back "they pinned a `kick me' sign on his back" 8: a support that you can lean against while sitting; "the back of the dental chair was adjustable" [syn: {backrest}] 9: the position of a player on a football team who is stationed behind the line of scrimmage adv 1: in or to or toward a former location; "she went back to her parents' house" 2: at or to or toward or the back or rear; "he moved back"; "tripped when he stepped backward"; "she looked rearward out the window of the car" [syn: {backward}, {backwards}, {rearward}, {rearwards}] [ant: {forward}] 3: in or to or toward an original condition; "he went back to sleep" 4: in or to or toward a past time; "set the clocks back an hour"; "never look back"; "lovers of the past looking fondly backward" [syn: {backward}] [ant: {ahead}, {ahead}] 5: in answer; "he wrote back three days later"; "had little to say in reply to the questions" [syn: {in reply}] 6: in repayment or retaliation; "we paid back everything we had borrowed"; "he hit me and I hit him back"; "I was kept in after school for talking back to the teacher" v 1: be behind; support or vote for "He plumped for the Labor Party"; "I backed Kennedy in 1960" [syn: {endorse}, {plump for}, {plunk for}, {support}] 2: travel backward; "back into the driveway"; "The car backed up and hit the tree" 3: give support or one's blessing to "I'll second that motion"; "I can't back this plan"; "endorse a new project" [syn: {second}, {endorse}, {indorse}] 4: cause to travel backward; "back the car into the parking spot" [ant: {advance}] 5: support financial backing for "back this enterprise" 6: be in back of "My garage backs their yard" [ant: {front}] 7: place a bet on "Which horse are you backing?" "I'm betting on the new horse" [syn: {bet on}, {gage}, {stake}, {game}, {punt}] 8: shift to a counterclockwise direction, of the wind 9: establish as valid or genuine; "Can you substantiate your claims?" [syn: {substantiate}, {back up}] 10: strengthen by providing with a back or backing From THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993) [devils]: BACK n. That part of your friend which it is your privilege to contemplate in your adversity.
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