back
back is a 4-letter English word with 64 senses as noun, adjective, intransitive verb, adverb, and verb in the JumbleFix dictionary. One common meaning is: 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. Face value is 12 in Scrabble and 14 in Words With Friends. Use the entries below when you need a playable sense, a nearby word, or another arrangement of the same letters.
Definitions
- noun. 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.
- noun. A ferryboat. See Bac, 1.
- noun. 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.
- noun. An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge.
- noun. 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.
- noun. 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.
- noun. 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.
- noun. The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge; as, the back of a knife, or of a saw.
- noun. A support or resource in reserve.
- noun. The keel and keelson of a ship.
- noun. The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage.
- noun. A garment for the back; hence, clothing.
- adjective. Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as, the back door; back settlements.
- adjective. Being in arrear; overdue; as, back rent.
- adjective. Moving or operating backward; as, back action.
- intransitive verb. To get upon the back of; to mount.
- intransitive verb. To place or seat upon the back.
- intransitive verb. To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as, to back oxen.
- intransitive verb. To make a back for; to furnish with a back; as, to back books.
- intransitive verb. To adjoin behind; to be at the back of.
- intransitive verb. To write upon the back of; as, to back a letter; to indorse; as, to back a note or legal document.
- intransitive verb. To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence; as, to back a friend.
- intransitive verb. To bet on the success of; -- as, to back a race horse.
- intransitive verb. To move or go backward; as, the horse refuses to back.
- intransitive verb. To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; -- used of the wind.
- intransitive verb. To stand still behind another dog which has pointed; -- said of a dog.
- adverb. In, to, or toward, the rear; as, to stand back; to step back.
- adverb. 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.
- adverb. To a former state, condition, or station; as, to go back to private life; to go back to barbarism.
- adverb. (Of time) In times past; ago.
- adverb. Away from contact; by reverse movement.
- adverb. 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.
- adverb. In a state of restraint or hindrance.
- adverb. In return, repayment, or requital.
- adverb. In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking; as, he took back0 the offensive words.
- adverb. In arrear; as, to be back in one's rent.
- noun. (American football) the position of a player on a football team who is stationed behind the line of scrimmage
- noun. a support that you can lean against while sitting
"the back of the dental chair was adjustable"
- noun. the part of a garment that covers the back of your body
"they pinned a `kick me' sign on his back"
- noun. the protective covering on the front, back, and spine of a book
"the book had a leather binding"
- noun. the side that goes last or is not normally seen
"he wrote the date on the back of the photograph"
- noun. the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine
"his back was nicely tanned"
- noun. the series of vertebrae forming the axis of the skeleton and protecting the spinal cord
"the fall broke his back"
- noun. 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"
- noun. (football) a person who plays in the backfield
- verb. strengthen by providing with a back or backing
- verb. establish as valid or genuine
"Can you back up your claims?"
- verb. shift to a counterclockwise direction
"the wind backed"
- verb. place a bet on
"Which horse are you backing?"
"I'm betting on the new horse"
- verb. travel backward
"back into the driveway"
"The car backed up and hit the tree"
- verb. cause to travel backward
"back the car into the parking spot"
- verb. support financial backing for
"back this enterprise"
- verb. be behind; approve of
"He plumped for the Labor Party"
"I backed Kennedy in 1960"
- verb. give support or one's approval to
"I'll second that motion"
"I can't back this plan"
- verb. be in back of
"My garage backs their yard"
- adjective. located at or near the back of an animal
"back (or hind) legs"
"the hinder part of a carcass"
- adjective. related to or located at the back
"the back yard"
"the back entrance"
- adjective. of an earlier date
"back issues of the magazine"
- adverb. in or to or toward a past time
"set the clocks back an hour"
"never look back"
- adverb. at or to or toward the back or rear
"he moved back"
"tripped when he stepped backward"
- adverb. in repayment or retaliation
"we paid back everything we had borrowed"
"he hit me and I hit him back"
- adverb. in or to or toward a former location
"she went back to her parents' house"
- adverb. in or to or toward an original condition
"he went back to sleep"
- adverb. in reply
"he wrote back three days later"
Synonyms
backrest, binding, cover, rear, dorsum, backbone, rachis, spine, gage, game, punt, stake, endorse, indorse, support, second, hind, hinder, backward, backwards, rearward, rearwards
Common word forms
backs, backed, backen, backer, backing, backless
Words from these letters
If you are holding these tiles, the unscrambler for BACK lists every valid word you can make from the same letters, including shorter plays.