See Also: Back to back inheritance tax plan(finance)
Back-to-Back Letters of Credit(money)
back-to-back 2, noun(dictionary)
Back-to-back loan(money)
Back-to-back financing(money)
Back-to-Back - Poker(gambling)
back-to-back 1, adjective(dictionary)
Back to back ticketing(tourism)
Back to back loan(finance)
Back to back financing(finance)

back(3) (iou)



back noun1. [bak]

I. Orig. sense.
The convex surface of the body of humans and vertebrate animals which is adjacent to the spinal axis and opposite to the belly, and extends from the neck and shoulders to the extremity of the backbone. OE.
O. Henry Down his back from his mane to his tail went a line of black. A. Schlee She stood with her back against the door feeling the brass handle press against a bone in her spine.
Regarded with reference to its position or functions. spec.
a. The hinder surface of a person's body, esp. as turned away from someone else. OE.
Shakespeare Cymbeline The army broken, And but the backs of Britons seen.
b. The part of the body which bears burdens. OE.
Shakespeare Titus Andronicus Wrongs more than our backs can bear. R. V. Jones More than one careerist in the Admiralty had climbed on Butterworth's back by exploiting his work.
c. That part of the body which is the special recipient of clothing (often repr. the whole body in this capacity). ME.
G. B. Shaw Give them the clothes off my back.
d. In animals, the upper surface opposite to that on which they move or rest. LME.
II. transf. The surface of things analogous in position to the (human) back; the hinder side.
The side or surface of any object which answers in position to the back and is opposite to the face or front, or to the side approached or contemplated, or away from the normal direction of motion; e.g. the outer side of the hand, the underside of a leaf, the convex part of a book, the rear part of a house or vehicle. ME.
Lytton At the back of the cottage..there are some fields. Oxford English Dictionary The back of the leaf is lighter in colour. F. O'Connor He..wrote down the address on the back of an envelope. A. Burgess Took three bullets straight in the back of the throat. T. Stoppard He got into the back of the motor.
The side or part of any object that is away from or more remote from the spectator; the further side. M17.
J. Tyndall A plate of copper against the back of which a steady sheet of flame is permitted to play. G. B. Shaw Finally comes the band, which posts itself at the back of the square.
ellipt. = backblocks, back country s.v. BACK-. L19.
In pl. (Also Back.) The grounds behind some Cambridge colleges bordering on the River Cam. L19.
III. Parts of things having relation, or analogous in position, to the human back.
The hind part, e.g. of a chair, garment, etc. LME.
Ld Macaulay The back of the chimney did not seem to be firmly fixed. J. Conrad I grabbed the back of the nearest piece of furniture.
A body of followers or supporters; backing. Now only Scot. M16.
J. Speed Scotland..was a special backe and second to King Henry.
The rear of an armed force. arch. L16.
Shakespeare 2 Henry IV He leaves his back unarm'd.
Football & Hockey etc. (The position of) a defending player stationed behind the forwards. L19.
centre back, full-back, half-back, quarterback, etc.
IV. Surfaces or parts of things analogous to the back of animals.
The upper surface of anything, esp. as bearing burdens; the ridge of a hill; poet. the surface of water, the waves, etc. LME.
Shakespeare Tempest I saw him beat the surges under him, And ride upon their backs: he trod the water. N. Hawthorne We now rambled about on the broad back of the hill.
The keel and keelson of a ship. L17.
P. O'Brian I drove her on to the rock before Gijon...She was hopelessly bilged, her back broken.
Phrases etc. (see also BACK-): at the back of behind in support, pursuit, or concealment. at the back of one's mind in the memory but not consciously thought of or immediately recalled. back and edge: see EDGE noun. back of Bourke, back o' Bourke [Bourke, a town in western New South Wales] Austral. slang the most remote outback, the back of beyond. back-to-back adjective (a) (of houses) built in a continuous terrace divided along its length so as to produce two terraces of houses adjoining at the rear; (b) N. Amer. (of events) consecutive. behind one's back in one's absence or without one's knowledge. break the back of fig. overburden, crush (a person), finish the greatest or hardest part of (a task). claw the back of: see CLAW verb 2. fall off the back of a lorry: see LORRY noun. get a person's back up make a person angry or stubborn. get off a person's back fig. (colloq.) stop annoying or harassing him or her. give a back = make a back below. have a monkey on one's back, have the monkey on one's back: see MONKEY noun. in back (of) N. Amer. behind, in or at the back (of). know like the back of one's hand be thoroughly familiar or conversant with. left back, left half(-back): see LEFT adjective. loose back: see LOOSE adjective. make a back bend the body to provide a surface for jumping over, e.g. in leapfrog. make a rod for one's own back: see ROD noun. not a shirt to one's back: see SHIRT noun. on one's back laid up or ill in bed; prostrate, helpless. on the back of behind, immediately following; weighing upon as a burden; fig. harassing, annoying. pat on the back: see PAT noun1 3, verb 5. put a person's back up = get a person's back up above. put one's back into use all one's efforts or strength in (a particular endeavour). right back, right half(-back): see RIGHT adjective. running back: see RUNNING ppl adjective. scratch my back and I will scratch yours: see SCRATCH verb. see the back of be rid of. short back and sides colloq. a short haircut. slap on the back: see SLAP noun1 1, SLAP verb1. stab in the back: see STAB noun1 2, STAB verb 3. the back of beyond: see BEYOND noun. the beast with two backs: see BEAST noun. the last straw that breaks the camel's back: see STRAW noun. the shirt off one's back: see SHIRT noun. turn one's back on turn away from, flee, forsake, abandon. upon the back of = on the back of above. watch one's back, watch a person's back: see WATCH verb. WATTEAU back. with one's back to the wall hard-pressed, at bay.
backed adjective having a back, background, or backing, (usu. as 2nd elem. of a comb., of a specified kind) LME.
backless adjective without a back, having no back; (of a woman's garment) cut low at the back: E19.