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the part of the human body that is on the opposite side to the chest, between the neck and the tops of the legs; the part of an animal’s body that corresponds to this
on your back He was lying on his back on the sofa.
Do you sleep on your back or your front?
with your back to somebody/something She was standing with her back to the camera so you can't see her face.
behind your back They had their hands tied behind their backs.
at your back They set off with the wind at their backs (= behind them).
your lower/upper back
in your/the back I have a nagging pain in my lower back.
Most of the victims were shot in the back.
a bad (= painful) back
I pulled (= injured the muscles in) my back playing squash.
She was laid up with severe back pain.
A small boy rode on the elephant's back.
the row of bones in the middle of the back
She broke her back in a riding accident.
He spent six months recovering from a broken back.
He put his back out (= dislocated something in his back) lifting the crates.
the part or area of something that is furthest from the front
She was hit on the back of the head.
He kicked the ball straight into the back of the net.
The man was refusing to go to the back of the queue.
at the back The house has three bedrooms at the front and two at the back.
We could only get seats at the back (= of a room).
in the back (British English) There's room for three people in the back (= of a car, etc.).
in back (North American English) There's room for three people in back.
around the back Come around the back (= to the area behind the house) and I'll show you the garden.
the part of a piece of paper, etc. that is on the opposite side to the one that has information or the most important information on it
on the back Take a card and write your name on the back.
on the back of something He scribbled some figures on the back of an envelope.
the last few pages of a book, etc.
at the back (of something) The television guide is at the back of the paper.
in the back (of something) The answer key is in the back of the book.
towards the back (of something) The article I mentioned is in that magazine—towards the back I think.
The arts page is usually towards the back of the newspaper.
the part of a chair, etc. against which you lean your back
used to describe furniture that has the type of back mentioned
a high-backed sofa
a player whose main role is to defend their team’s goal
if a thought, etc. is at the back of your mind, you are aware of it but it is not what you are mainly thinking about
At the back of my mind was a small, warning voice, telling me it was wrong.
The problem was always at the back of my mind.
when somebody's back is turned they are not present and not able to see what is happening
Officers are ready to issue a parking ticket as soon as a driver's back is turned.
a place that is a long way from other houses, towns, etc.
We stayed in some farmhouse in the back of beyond.
used to talk about planning or calculating something in a way that is not detailed, exact or complete
We added up our savings on the back of an envelope.
back-of-the-envelope calculations
if two people stand or sit back to back, they stand or sit with their backs facing or touching each other
The children sat back to back so they couldn't see each others' drawings.
if two or more things happen back to back, they happen one after the other
The team had to play three games back to back.
if you put on a piece of clothing back to front, you make a mistake and put the back where the front should be
I think you've got that sweater on back to front.
to be happy that you will not have to deal with or see somebody/something again because you do not like them or it
Was I pleased to see the back of her!
I can’t wait to see the back of that old car.
without somebody’s knowledge or permission
Have you been talking about me behind my back?
They went ahead and sold it behind my back.
People say bad things about him behind his back, but never to his face.
to keep asking or telling somebody to do something that they do not want to do, in a way that they find annoying
He’s still on my back about that money I borrowed.
to finish the largest or most important part of a task
I want to break the back of this translation before the weekend.
to realize that you may be blamed or criticized for something later and take action to avoid this
Get everything in writing in order to cover your back.
to annoy somebody
That sort of attitude really gets my back up!
to stop annoying somebody, for example by criticizing them, or asking them to do something
Just get off my back, will you!
to protect and support somebody
Don't worry, I've got your back.
I’m loyal and I’ve got your back.
to be in a difficult situation in which you are forced to do something but are unable to make the choices that you would like
We had our backs to the wall with no choice but to sell.
to be aware of everything that is happening around you, even things that seem difficult or impossible to see
You can’t get away with anything in her class. She has eyes in the back of her head.
to be very familiar with somebody/something
This is where I grew up. I know this area like the back of my hand.
the last in a series of bad events, etc. that makes it impossible for you to accept a situation any longer
to do something that will cause problems for you in the future
immediately after something
They come into this game off the back of a 1–0 defeat to Chelsea.
as a result of an achievement or a success
The profits growth came on the back of a 26 per cent rise in sales.
goods that fell off the back of a lorry were probably stolen. People say or accept that they came ‘off the back of a lorry’ to avoid saying or asking where they really came from.
in bed because you are ill
She's been flat on her back for over a week now.
(figurative) The UK market was flat on its back (= business was very bad).
praise or approval for something that you have done well
He deserves a pat on the back for all his hard work.
Give yourself a pat on the back!
to praise somebody or yourself for doing something well
to try to forget about something unpleasant
I tried to push the thought to the back of my mind.
to use a lot of effort and energy on a particular task
anything that somebody has, including the things they really need themselves, that somebody else takes from them or they are willing to give
He was the type of person who would give you the shirt off his back.
an act that harms somebody, done by a person they thought was a friend
Her refusal to support his campaign was a real stab in the back.
to do or say something that harms somebody who trusts you
to turn so that you are facing in the opposite direction
to move so that you are standing or sitting with your back facing somebody/something
When on stage, try not to turn your back on the audience.
to reject somebody/something that you have previously been connected with
She turned her back on them when they needed her.
Some newspapers have turned their backs on discussion and argument.
She decided to turn her back on Paris and return home.
to protect yourself against danger
She'd better watch her back if she wants to hold onto the top job.
used to say that something, especially criticism, has no effect on somebody/something
I can't tell my son what to do; it's water off a duck's back with him.
used to say that if somebody helps you, you will help them, even if this is unfair to others
located behind or at the back of something
We were sitting in the back row
the back garden (= behind the house)
a back room (= one at the back of a building)
My phone's in my back pocket.
back teeth
the back page of a newspaper
We drove along miles of twisty back roads (= away from the main roads).
of or from a past time
a back issue of the magazine
owed for a time in the past
back pay/taxes/rent
produced with the back of the tongue in a higher position than the front, for example /ɑː/ in English
left for the present time, to be done or considered later
(to put somebody) at a disadvantage or in difficulty
Advances in drone technology have caught lawmakers on the back foot.
The side that’s on the back foot, struggling to defend, will usually give away more penalties.
We'd like to put the fossil fuel industry on the back foot.
to or into the place, condition, situation or activity where somebody/something was before
When is he coming back to work?
He'll be back on Monday.
Don't forget to bring it back when you've finished with it.
Please give me my ball back.
Put the book back on the shelf.
Could you go back to the beginning of the story?
She woke up briefly and then went back to sleep.
I can't wait to get back home.
It takes me an hour to walk there and back.
We were right back where we started, only this time without any money.
It's good to have the whole family back together again.
away from the front or centre; behind you
I moved back to let them pass.
Sit back and relax.
You've combed your hair back.
He turned and looked back.
She fell back towards the end of the race.
at a place previously left or mentioned
We should have turned left five kilometres back.
Back at home, her parents were worried.
in return or reply
She's a tough kid, who, when attacked, fights back hard.
If he hits me, I'll hit him back.
Could you call back later, please?
at a distance away from something
The barriers kept the crowd back.
Stand back and give me some room.
in or into the past; ago
The cathedral dates back to 1123.
The village has a history going back to the Middle Ages.
She left back in November.
That was a few years back.
under control; prevented from being expressed or coming out
He could no longer hold back his tears.
fashionable again
Beards are back.
I wonder if flares will ever come back in?
from one place to another and back again repeatedly
ferries sailing back and forth between the islands
in the past
My dad's always talking about how great everything was back in the day.
at a particular time in the past
I was a fan back in the days when the band wasn't yet famous.
behind something
the houses back of the church
a return to the situation you were in at the beginning of a project, task, etc., because you have made no real progress
If this suggestion isn't accepted, we'll be back to square one.
to return, or to make somebody return, to a normal way of thinking or behaving after a time when you/they have been very excited, not very practical, etc.
to encourage somebody or give them help; to give financial support to somebody/something
Her parents backed her in her choice of career.
The project to improve healthcare is backed (= given financial support) by the government.
to support and agree with somebody/something
Local residents are enthusiastically backing the campaign to save the library.
Doctors have backed plans to raise the tax on cigarettes.
He has publicly backed calls for an enquiry.
to help prove that something is true
be backed by something All complaints must be backed by evidence.
to bet money on a horse in a race, a team in a competition, etc.
I backed the winner and won fifty pounds.
The horse was heavily backed on the morning of the race.
to play or sing music that supports the main singer or instrument
to move or make something move backwards
+ adv./prep. He backed against the wall, terrified.
to back out of a parking space
back something + adv./prep. If you can't drive in forwards, try backing it in.
to cover the back of something in order to support or protect it
be backed with something Each piece is backed with clear vinyl.
to be located behind something
be backed by something The house is backed by fields.
to support somebody/something that is not successful