Forms: 1–3 bæc, 3–5 bac, 4–6 bak, bakke, (4–5 bake, 6 balke), 5–7 backe, 4– back. [Common Teut.: OE. bæc (neuter) is cogn. with OS. bak, OFris. bek, MDu. bak, LG. bak, ON. bak:—OTeut. *bako-(m); not found in Gothic or OHG., and now lost in Du. exc. in derivatives, as achterbaks, bakboord. Cf. RIDGE.]
I. Original sense.
1. properly. The convex surface of the body of man and vertebrated animals which is adjacent to the spinal axis, and opposite to the belly and most of the special organs. It extends from the neck and shoulders to the extremity of the backbone. † Back and side: all over, completely (obs.).
c. 1000. Ags. Ps. cxxix. 3. Ofer minum bæce bitere ongunnon þa firenfullan facen timbrian.
c. 1200. Ormin, 4776. Lende & lesske & shulldre & bac.
c. 1340. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 143. Of bak & of brest al were his bodi sturne.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 7318. Til he be slayne, back & side.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 21/1. Bakke, Dorsum.
c. 1440. Generydes, 2155. Ther bakkes and ther belly were soo large.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), I. 340. I shuld bete you bak and side.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 650. A Snake … His Belly spotted, burnisht is his Back.
1711. Budgell, Spect., No. 161, ¶ 7. A Country Fellow that throws his Rival upon his Back.
1741. Monro, Anat. Bones, 187. The … Vertebræ of the Back.
1783–94. Blake, Song Innoc., Chimney-Sw., 6. Curled like a lamb’s back.
1860. Dickens, Uncomm. Trav., xi. (1866), 72/1. He lies on the broad of his back, with his face turned up to the sky.
2. Viewed in reference to its position or functions, as: a. in man, the hinder surface of the body, that which is opposite to the front or face, and which is turned upon those who are left behind. (Hence many phrases: see VI.)
c. 885. K. Ælfred, Boeth., ii. Ða wendon hí me heora bæc.
1382. Wyclif, Jer. xviii. 17. Bac and not face Y shal shewe to them.
c. 1500. Robin Hood (Ritson), xv. 121. And there they turnd them back to back.
a. 1552. Leland, in Keightley, Hist. Eng., I. 429. Her faire yelow haire hung down pleyne byhynd her bak.
1597. Daniel, Civ. Wares, II. x. Richard who lookt Fortune in the backe.
1607. Shaks., Timon, IV. iii. 397. Thy backe I prythee. Ibid. (1611), Cymb., V. iii. 6. The Army broken, And but the backes of Britaines seen.
1873. Tristram, Moab, ii. 19. At length we … turn our backs on the outskirts of civilization.
b. that part of the body which is the special recipient of clothing (as the belly is of food); often put for the whole body in this capacity.
Orig. because simple articles of clothing cover the back completely, but are either open, or merely fastened in front.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 5130. Clathing bath for bac and bedd.
c. 1375. Wyclif, Serm., Sel. Wks. 1869, I. 298. Cloþing boþ for her bedde and bak.
1549. Latimer, Serm. bef. Edw. VI. (Arb.), 51. Borrow of thy two next neighbours, that is to say, of thy backe and thi belly.
1597. J. Payne, Royal Exch., 14. Suche … as come to decaye … by the pryde of there backs.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., III. ii. 23. What ’tis to cram a maw, or cloath a backe.
1840. R. Dana, Bef. the Mast, xix. 53. Without clothing to his back or shoes to his feet.
1862. Trollope, Orley F., I. 83 (Hoppe). It is from the backs and bellies of other people that savings are made with the greatest constancy.
c. the part of the body that bears burdens.
c. 950. Lindisf. Gosp., Matt. xxiii. 4. Hia ʓebindas … byrðenna hefiʓa … in scyldrum vel bæccum monna.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 3048. Hir sun a-pon hir bak sco bar.
c. 1384. Chaucer, H. Fame, 169. And tooke his fader Anchises And bare hym on hys bakke avay.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., IV. iii. 48. Wrung with wrongs more then our backe can beare. Ibid. (1613), Hen. VIII., I. ii. 50. The Backe is Sacrifice to th’ load.
Mod. The back is fitted for the burden.
d. in animals, the upper surface opposite to that on which they walk, crawl or rest: extended from vertebrates to other walking or creeping animals.
1383. Sir Ferumb., 794. Tak my gode stede … Set me be-for þe on is bak.
c. 1500. Sir Lancelott, 39, in Furniv., Percy Folio, I. 86. They horsses bakes brake vnder them.
1647. Ward, Simp. Cobler, 36. They might have kept his back … had they not put him beyond his pace.
1735. Somerville, Chase, I. 376. High on their bent Backs erect Their pointed Bristles stare.
1847. Carpenter, Zool., § 574. The lower side (of Flat-fish) is generally white, whilst the upper is brown; and the former is commonly (but erroneously) regarded as the belly of the fish, and the latter as its back. Ibid., § 723. The insects of this family swim on their backs.
II. transf. The surface of things analogous in position to the (human) back; the hinder side.
3. gen. That side or surface of any part of the body or of any object, which answers in position to the back; that opposite to the face or front, or side approached, contemplated, or exposed to view; e.g., the back of the head, of the leg; the back of a house, door, picture, bill, tablet, etc.
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 856 (1628) (J.). Trees, set vpon the Backes of Chimneyes, doe ripen Fruit sooner.
1777. Sheridan, Sch. Scandal, II. ii. He put his name at the back of a bill.
1850. Lytton, My Novel, III. xiii. 138. At the back of the cottage … there are some fields.
c. 1850. Rudim. Nav. (Weale), 94. Back of the post, the after-face of the stern-post.
1880. L. Stephen, Pope, iv. 92. A great part of the Iliad [Pope’s] is written upon the backs of letters.
1883. Pall Mall Gaz., 12 Dec., 2. 11,000 ‘back-to-back’ houses in the older parts.
Mod. Severely hurt about the back of the head.
4. spec. a. The convex or outer side of the hand, opposite to the palm. b. The under side of a leaf, which forms the outside before it unfolds. c. The convex part of a book, opposite to the opening of the leaves. d. The thick edge of a knife or other cutting instrument, opposite to the face, or cutting edge. Hence back and edge: everything, through everything, through thick and thin.
a. 1300. W. de Biblesworth, in Wright, Voc., 147. The bac of the hand, la claye dehoris.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., 21/2. Bakke of egge toole, Ebiculum.
1523. Fitzherb., Husb., § 136. A graffynge knyfe an inche brode with a thycke backe.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., I. ii. 221. Being offer’d him, he put it by with the backe of his hand, thus.
1641. J. Hotham (in Long Parlt.), in Southey, Commonpl. Bk., Ser. II. (1849), 147. ‘Mr. Speaker; fall back, fall edge, I will go down and perform your commands.’
1716. Mrs. Behn, Dutch Lover, II. iii. I’ll have no more to do with you back nor edge.
1789. Lightfoot, Fl. Scot., II. 671. Fructifications in two rows upon the back of the pinnules.
1844. Dickens, Mar. Chuz., xii. (C.D.), 137. As he drew the back of his hand across his lips.
1863. Bookseller’s Catal. Fine copy, calf extra, full gilt backs, marbled edges.
Mod. The back of the leaf is lighter in color.
5. The side of any object away from the spectator, or spectators generally, the other or farther side. At the back of: behind, on the farther side of; cf. 23.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (1650), II. 19. Turning by the back of Afric to the Cape of Mozambric.
1696. Lond. Gaz., No. 3242/3. Yesterday appeared on the back of these Sands a Fleet. Ibid. (1704), No. 4060/5. Passing by the back of the Goodwin Sand.
1865. Tyndall, Fragm. Sc., viii. § 4. 181. A plate of copper against the back of which a steady sheet of flame is permitted to play.
† 6. Of time: The other side of the time after. Obs. or dial.
1673. Flamsteed, in Rigaud, Corr. Sci. Men, II. 162. I must be … your debtor till the back of Whitsuntide.
III. Parts of things having relation, or analogous in position, to the human back; the hinder part, rear, following.
† 7. pl. Clothes. Obs.
1341. Mem. Ripon (1882), I. 224. Unum indumentum quod dicitur Bak.
c. 1350. Will. Palerne, 2096. Alle his bakkes rente.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. X. 362. Owre bakkes [gloss panni] þat moth-eten be.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Chan. Yem. Prol. & T., 328. A bak to walken in by day light.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XIV. 72. Fynde beggars bred, backes for þe colde.
† 8. Armor protecting the back; a back-plate.
1648. in Rushw., Hist. Coll., IV. II. 1411. He saw the King … in Naseby field having Back and Breast on.
1651. Cromwell, Lett. (Carl.), 26 July. It is desired we may have a thousand backs-and-breasts, and fifteen-hundred pots.
1695. Blackmore, Pr. Arth., VII. 137. Some o’er brazen Backs, and Breastplates sweat.
b. fig. A defence, protection.
1686. W. de Britaine, Hum. Prud., vi. 29. Your own Innocency will be a Back of Steel unto you.
9. The hind part of a coat or other garment.
Mod. What is the material of the back of the vest?
10. The upright hind part of a chair, that supports the back of the sitter; and gen. the hinder portion of any structure.
1530. Palsgr., 196/1. Backe of a chymney, contre cuevr de la chyminee.
1670. G. H., Hist. Cardinals, I. III. 78. To sit down … upon a chair without a back.
1716–8. Lady Montague, Lett., I. x. 34. The archduchesses sat on chairs with backs without arms.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., IV. 520. The back of the chimney did not seem to be firmly fixed.
11. The rear of an armed force. arch.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. iii. 79. He leaues his backe vnarm’d.
1737. Whiston, Josephus. Antiq., XII. viii. § 3. And fell upon the backs of their enemies.
† 12. A following; a body of followers or supporters; support, backing. Obs.
1566. Knox, Hist. Ref., Wks. 1846, I. 89. Without knowledge of any back or battell to follow.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. xvi. (1632), 861. Scotland … was a special backe and second to King Henry.
1649. Bp. Guthry, Mem. (1702), 24. Those that were otherwise minded, would have stay’d with a thin Back.
a. 1662. Baillie, Lett. (1775), I. 217 (Jam.). So Mr. Pym and his back were removed.
IV. Surfaces or parts of things analogous to the back of animals.
13. fig. The surface of a river, the waves, etc., which bears floating burdens. (Cf. bosom.)
1610. Shaks., Temp., II. i. 115. I saw him beate the surges vnder him, And ride vpon their backes.
1697. Dryden, Virg. Georg., III. 555. Swift Rivers are with sudden Ice constrain’d; And studded Wheels are on its Back sustain’d.
1850. Clough, Dipsychus, I. v. 107. We’ll take the crested billows by their backs And shake them.
14. The ridge of a hill, of the nose (obs.).
1615. Crooke, Body of Man, 613. The vpper part of the Nose called Dorsum or the backe … the spine or ridge of the Nose.
1863. Hawthorne, Old Home (1879), 169. We now rambled about on the broad back of the hill.
15. The convex surface of any thing bent.
c. 1850. Rudim. Nav. (Weale), 96. Compass or curved timber, the outside of which is called the Back.
16. Arch. The upper surface or edge of any horizontal or oblique beam.
1677. Moxon, Mech. Excerc. (1703), 156. Back or Hip-molding. The backward Hips or Valley-Rafters in the way of an Angle.
1753. Chambers, Cycl. Supp., s.v., Back of a hip, among builders, denotes the two planes on the outside of the hip, lying parallel with the adjoining side and end of the roof.
17. The keel and kelson of a ship.
[1541. R. Copland, Guydon’s Quest. Cyrurg. The backe is lyke ye kele of a shyp.]
1692. Lond. Gaz., No. 2779/3. A French Ship of 70 Guns … has broke her back.
1883. Contemp. Rev., Aug., 229. A stranded ship with her back broken.
V. Technical uses. (transf., fig., and elliptical.)
18. Leather-trade, The thickest and best-tanned hides.
1535. Act 27 Hen. VIII., xiv. § 5. Any lether called backes or sole lether.
1776. Excise-bk., in Dorset County Chron., 2 June (1881). Kinds of hides:—Sheep and lamb, butts and backs, calves and kipps.
1859. Worcester cites Crabb.
19. Mining. (See quot.)
1807. Headrick, Arran, 45. Similar cracks are formed in stratified sandstone, called by the workmen, slips, cutters or backs.
1851. Coal-trade Terms, Northumb. & Durham, 4. Back.—A diagonal parting in coal; a description of hitch, where the strata are not dislocated.
1875. Ure, Dict. Arts, I. 280. Back in mining, that side of an inclined mineral lode which is nearest the surface of the ground. The back of a level is the ground between it and the level above.
20. Jewellery (See quot.)
1879. C. Hibbs, in Cassell’s Techn. Educ., IV. 349/2. ‘Back’ which in Jewellers’ parlance means either the top or bottom side of the locket.
21. Football, One of the players stationed behind the ‘forwards,’ e.g., ‘half-back,’ ‘three-quarter back’; the duty of the simple ‘back’ is to defend the goal.
1880. Daily Tel., 20 Dec., 2/3. In the course of the game Rowley, one of the Northern three-quarter backs, sustained an injury to his leg.
1884. Punch, 8 March, 113/1. To go into this fine manly game [of football] padded … is enough to rouse the ire of any old ‘back’ alive.
22. Sporting, The action of ‘backing’: see BACK v. 9.
1859. ‘Stonehenge,’ Brit. Sports 35. While his [the dog’s] ‘point’ was perfection in beauty and rigidity, the ‘back’ was totally the reverse.
VI. Phrases. (Chiefly from 2 a., also 2 c.)
23. With prepositions:
a. At the back of: behind, close behind; with the pregnant senses of supporting, following, pursuing, chasing; cf. 5. b. Behind the back of: (emphatic for) behind; in the absence of, out of the sight, hearing, or knowledge of; behind backs, clandestinely. c. † On (rarely of), upon back (obs.): aback, back, backward. d. On, upon the back of: weighing upon as a burden or incubus; falling upon as an assailant. e. On, upon the back (of): (position) behind, in the rear (obs.): (motion) close behind. f. To the back: to the back-bone, all through.
a. c. 1400. Destr. Troy, V. 1902. Hade bir at his bake, and þe bankes leuyt.
c. 1430. Lydg., Bochas, I. i. (1544), 2 b. At their backe, folowed indigence.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccxxxiii. 324. To thentent that they might haue wynter at their backes.
1593. Shaks., 3 Hen. VI., II. v. 133. Edward and Richard, like a brace of Grey-hounds … Are at our backes. Ibid. (1597), 2 Hen. IV., II. iv. 334. You knew I was at your back, and spoke it on purpose.
1818. Byron, Juan, I. cxxxvii. Here’s my master With more than half the city at his back.
1879. Froude, Cæsar, xii. 166. Cæsar had the people at his back.
b. c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 281. Þou puttest þi self bihinde þi bake.
1592. Shaks., Rom. & Jul., IV. i. 28. It will be of more price, Being spoke behind your backe, then to your face.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 12, ¶ 2. The Mistress … scolds at the Servants as heartily before my Face as behind my Back.
1874. Mahaffy, Soc. Life Greece, iii. 50. They will censure her behind backs.
1883. Statist, 21 July. While they were maturing their scheme, the Government went behind their backs and concluded an agreement.
c. c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Matt. iv. 10. Gang þu on bæc!
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XIV. 5957. The batell on backe was borne to þe se. Ibid., XV. 6520. And frusshet þere fos fer vppo backe.
1447. Bokenham, Seyntys, 59. She nevr of bak turnyde hyr vysayge.
d. 1605. Shaks., Lear, I. iv. 42. I haue yeares on my backe forty eight.
1677. Gilpin, Dæmonol. (1867), 45. No sooner obtains he a commission against a child of God, but presently he is upon his back.
1776. Gouv. Morris, in Sparks, Life & Writ. (1832), I. 100. We shall have all the powers of Europe on our backs.
1832. Ht. Martineau, Ireland, vii. 118. Rather too much to have another [priest] … on their backs.
e. 1605. in Camden’s Rem. (1637), 195. On the backe, they make men seeme women.
1658. Ussher, Ann., vi. 437. Upon the back of these came a thousand.
1663. Bp. Patrick, Parab. Pilgr. As soon as they had the house on their backs and were come into the open air.
1734. Col. Records Penn., III. 564. Several of the Inhabitants on the back of ou Mountains.
1783. Burke, Sp. E. India Bill, Wks. 1842, I. 293. Another reform has since come upon the back of the first.
Mod. The child took the measles, and then on the back of that came scarlatina.
f. 1588. Shaks., Tit. A., IV. iii. 47. Mettall Marcus, steele the very backe.
1705. Hickeringill, Priest-cr., II. vi. 57. Like little Laud, Mettle to the Back.
24. With verbs:
a. To break the back of: (fig.) to overburden, crush; to finish the hardest part of (a task). b. To get the back of: to get behind, take in the rear. † c. To give back (obs.): to retreat, turn tail, run away. d. To give one the back: to turn away from, disregard him. e. To give or make a back (at leap-frog, etc.): to bend the body so as to present a surface which may be jumped over. f. To put or set up the back: to arch it as angry cats do; to put oneself or another into anger; to arouse. g. To turn the back: to turn away from facing, go away, flee; to turn the back upon: to turn definitely from, abandon, forsake.
a. 1613. Shaks., Hen. VIII., I. i. 84. Many Haue broke their backes with laying Mannors on ’em For this great Iourney.
b. 1653. Holcroft, Procopius, IV. 128. John … compassed the Trachea, so that he got the Backes of the Enemy.
c. a. 1300. Cursor M., 2499. Þe fiue gaue bak to wine a-way. Ibid., 4390. He drou, sco held, þe tassel brak, Þe mantel left, he gafe þe bak.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XXIII. 9474. Þai were boun to gyffe bake, & the bent leue.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, I. (1822), 50. Dredand … to be inclusit on every side … thay gaif bakkis.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., V. iv. 126. Thurio giue backe, or else embrace thy death.
1661. R. Davenport, City Nt.-Cap, V. in Dodsl. (1780), XI. 358. Catch’d at thy word, thou giv’st back.
1783. Ainsworth, Lat. Dict. (Morell), s.v. Back, To give back, Pedem referre.
d. a. 1624. Bp. M. Smyth, Serm. (1632), 24. They gaue him the back, and became apostates.
1682. Bunyan, Holy War, 236. Emmanuel, their Prince, has given them the back.
e. 1836. Dickens, Pickw., vii. 57. Stooping … as if he were ‘making a back’ for some beginner at leap-frog.
1848. Thackeray, Van. Fair, III. 13 (Hoppe). The Major was giving a back to Georgy.
f. 1728. Vanbr. & Cibber, Prov. Husb., V. iii. 112. O Lud! how her back will be up then, when she meets me.
1845. Disraeli, Sybil (1863), 14. But the other great whig families … set up their backs against this claim of the Egremonts.
1864. Sunday Mag., I. 79. He goes his own way … if you put his back up.
c. 1870. H. Spofford, Pilot’s W., in Casquet Lit. (1877), IV. 9/1. The … cat used to put up her back at the three.
g. c. 1400. Destr. Troy, IV. 1348. The Troiens … turnyt be bake, ffleddon in fere.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., I. i. 130. The shame Of those that turn’d their backes. Ibid. (1605), Lear, I. i. 178. To turne thy hated backe Vpon our kingdome.
1611. Bible, 1 Sam. x. 9. When he had turned his backe to go from Samuel.
c. 1680. Beveridge, Serm. (1729), I. 99. If you turn your backs and refuse to … hearken.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 108, ¶ 4. Sir Roger’s Back was no sooner turned but honest Will began.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xxx. (1878), 522. I never turned my back on my leader yet.
25. complex. a. To be or lie on one’s back: to be laid up, to be afflicted; to lay any one on his back, to prostrate, floor, lay low. † b. To have by the back: to lay hold of, seize. † c. To take the back upon oneself: to flee. d. With or having one’s back at or to the wall: hard-pressed, struggling against odds.
a. 1655. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., v. (1669), 343/1. They never look up to Heaven, till God lays them on their back.
1841. Catlin, N. Amer. Ind. (1844), II. xlv. 80. Sick and very feeble, having been for several weeks upon my back.
b. a. 1555. Ridley, Wks., 67. Else thou must be had by the back.
1597. Morley, Introd. Mus., 146. Then brother I haue you by the backe.
c. c. 1500. Lancelot, 1488. It haith gart o thousand tak At onys apone them-self the bak.
d. 1535. Stewart, Cron. Scot., II. 73. That we may haif thair bakis at the wall, Without defend that ar oure commoun fa.
1854. H. Miller, Sch. & Schm., 536. I ill liked to see him with his back to the wall.
