back

- definition

What are red words?

90% of the time, speakers of English use just 7,500 words in speech and writing. These words appear in red, and are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent, two-star words are more frequent, and three-star words are the most frequent.

Thesaurus

The thesaurus of synonyms and related words is fully integrated into the dictionary entries. Click on the T button in an entry to review the synonyms and related words for that meaning.

noun [countable] American English pronunciation: back

/bæk/

singular	back
plural	backs

1
the part of your body between your neck and your bottom, on the opposite side to your chest and stomach. The row of bones inside the back is called the backbone or spine
Will you scratch my back for me?
He’s broken his back, but he’s still alive.
(flat) on your back:
She was lying flat on her back on the bed.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
2
the part of something that is farthest from the front
back of:
Get in the back of the car.
The sun burned the back of my neck.
in back American:
a cotton dress with a bow in back
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
1. a.
  the part of a chair that you lean on when you are sitting on it
  What’s that mark on the back of the sofa?
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
3
an outside area behind a house or other building
out back:
The kids are playing out back.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
4
the side of a page, card, picture, etc. that is not the main side
on the back:
a concert program with Madonna’s autograph on the back
back of:
I’ll put my name on the back of the envelope.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
1. a.
  the last part of a book, newspaper, etc.
  back of:
  A page had been torn out of the back of the book.
  in the back:
  a dictionary with a list of irregular verbs in the back
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
5
a player on a football or soccer team whose job is to defend (=stop the other team from scoring goals)
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
1. a.
  one of the positions on a team where a back plays, behind the front line of players
  Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back

phrases

behind someone’s back
if you do something bad or unkind behind someone’s back, you do it without them knowing
The kids were always making fun of him behind his back.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
get off my back
spoken
used for telling someone to stop criticizing you or telling you what to do
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
get/put someone’s back up
British informal
to annoy someone
Don’t ask him about it any more or you’ll get his back up.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
glad/happy/pleased to see the back of
mainly British informal
happy when you do not have to deal with someone or something anymore because they are annoying or unpleasant
can’t wait to see the back of:
His wife couldn’t wait to see the back of him.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
have your back to the wall
to be in a difficult situation with few choices, so that you have to work or fight very hard
Penn State had its back to the wall throughout the second half.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
in back of
American
behind someone or something
We caught them hiding in back of the house.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
in the back of your mind
if something is in the back of your mind, you are thinking about it or it is affecting how you behave, perhaps without your realizing it
The thought that Paul might leave was always in the back of her mind.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
know something like the back of your hand
to be very familiar with something, especially a place or way of going somewhere
She knows these streets like the back of her hand.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
on someone’s back
informal
always criticizing someone, or always telling them to do things
You’re always on my back about something.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
on the back of something
because of something, or helped by something
Share prices rose sharply on the back of a rise in profits.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
put your back into something
British informal
to do something, especially physical work, with a lot of effort
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back
when someone’s back is turned
when someone is not there, or is not paying attention
I don’t know what these kids get up to when my back is turned.
Thesaurus entry for this meaning of back

vocal fry

a speech habit in which a speaker lowers their voice at the end of a sentence

BuzzWord Article

More BuzzWords

BuzzWord archive

Word of the Day

simile

a phrase that describes something by comparing it to something else using the word...

Word of the Day

Open Dictionary

conflict mineral

a mineral which is mined in a place where there is armed conflict, and sold to help pay for weapons

add a word

More submissions

view entries

Blog

A must for anyone with an interest in the changing face of language. The Macmillan Dictionary blog explores English as it is spoken around the world today.

global English and language change from our blog

Did you know?

back

What are red words?

Thesaurus

Related dictionary definitions

Menu

phrases

behind someone’s back

get off my back

get/put someone’s back up

glad/happy/pleased to see the back of

have your back to the wall

in back of

in the back of your mind

know something like the back of your hand

on someone’s back

on the back of something

put your back into something

when someone’s back is turned

vocal fry

Word of the Day

simile

conflict mineral