back

• dorsal area; part of a chair where the back rests; rear part of the human body (from the neck to the end of the spine); end; defense player (basketball)
support; move backwards, move to the rear
behind, after
backward, to the rear; to the past
if someone moves back, they move in the opposite direction to the one in which they are facing.
you use back to say that someone or something returns to a particular place or state.
if you get something back, you get it again after not having it for a while.
if you do something back, you do to someone what they have done to you.
if someone or something is kept or situated back from a place, they are at a distance from it.
you use back to indicate that you are talking or thinking about something that happened in the past.
your back is the part of your body from your neck to your waist that is on the opposite side to your chest, stomach, and face.
the back of something is the part of it that is towards the rear or farthest from the front. count noun here but can also be used as an attributive adjective. e.g. the back wheels were spinning in the mud.
the back of a chair is the part that you lean against.
a back road is small and narrow with very little traffic on it.
when a motor vehicle backs or when you back it, it moves backwards.
if you back someone, you give them support or money.
if you back a particular person, team, or horse in a competition, you bet money that they will win.
see also backing.
if someone moves back and forth, they repeatedly move in one direction and then in the opposite one.
if you are wearing something back to front, you are wearing it with the back of it on the front of your body.
if you do something back to front, you do it the wrong way round or in the wrong order.
if you do something behind someone's back, you do it without them knowing about it.
if you turn your back on someone or something, you ignore them or refuse to help them.
if you back away, you move away because you are nervous or frightened.
if you back down, you withdraw a claim or demand that you made earlier, or you decide not to do something you had threatened to do.
if you back off, you move away in order to avoid problems or a fight.
to back off also means the same as to back down.
if you back out, you decide not to do something that you had previously agreed to do.
if you back up a statement, you supply evidence to prove that it is true.
if you back someone up, you help and support them.
see also back-up.