Webster's Dictionary 1913

136

Backpiece

{ Back″piece′ (�), Back″plate′ (�), } n. [Back, n. or a. + piece, plate.] A piece, or plate, which forms the back of anything, or which covers the back; armor for the back.

137

Backrack

{ Back″rack (băk″răk), Back″rag (băk″răg), } n. See Bacharach.

138

Backs

Backs (băks), n. pl. Among leather dealers, the thickest and stoutest tanned hides.

139

Backsaw

Back″saw′ (băk″sa̤′), n. [2d back, n. + saw.] A saw (as a tenon saw) whose blade is stiffened by an added metallic back.

140

Backset

Back″set′ (–sĕt′), n. [Back, adv. + set.] 1. A check; a relapse; a discouragement; a setback.2. Whatever is thrown back in its course, as water.Slackwater, or the backset caused...

141

Backset (2)

Back″set′, v. t. To plow again, in the fall; — said of prairie land broken up in the spring.

142

Backsettler

Back″set″tler (–sĕt″lẽr), n. [Back, a. + settler.] One living in the back or outlying districts of a community.The English backsettlers of Leinster and Munster.Macaulay.

143

Backsheesh

{ ‖Back″sheesh′, ‖Back″shish′ } (�), n. [Pers. bakhshīsh, fr. bakhshīdan to give.] In Egypt and the Turkish empire, a gratuity; a “tip”.

144

Backside

Back″side′ (–sīd′), n. [Back, a. + side.] The hinder part, posteriors, or rump of a person or animal.☞ Backside (one word) was formerly used of the rear part or side of any thin...

145

Backsight

Back″sight′ (–sīt′), n. [Back, adv. + sight.] (Surv.) The reading of the leveling staff in its unchanged position when the leveling instrument has been taken to a new position; ...

146

Backslide

Back″slide″ (–slīd″; 277), v. i. [imp.Backslid (�); p. p.Backslidden (�), Backslid; p. pr. & vb. n.Backsliding.] [Back, adv. + slide.] To slide back; to fall away; esp. to aband...

147

Backslider

Back″slid″er (�), n. One who backslides.

148

Backsliding

Back″slid″ing, a. Slipping back; falling back into sin or error; sinning.Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord.Jer. iii. 14.

149

Backsliding (2)

Back″slid″ing, n. The act of one who backslides; abandonment of faith or duty.Our backslidings are many.Jer. xiv. 7.

150

Backstaff

Back″staff′ (�), n. An instrument formerly used for taking the altitude of the heavenly bodies, but now superseded by the quadrant and sextant; — so called because the observer ...

151

Backstairs

{ Back″stairs′, Back″stair′ }, a. Private; indirect; secret; intriguing; — as if finding access by the back stairs.A backstairs influence.Burke.Female caprice and backstair infl...

152

Backstay

Back″stay′ (–stā′), n. [Back, a. or n. + stay.] 1. (Naut.) A rope or stay extending from the masthead to the side of a ship, slanting a little aft, to assist the shrouds in supp...

153

Backster

Back″ster (�), n. [See Baxter.] A baker.

154

Backstitch

Back″stitch′ (�), n. [Back, adv. + stitch.] A stitch made by setting the needle back of the end of the last stitch, and bringing it out in front of the end.

155

Backstitch (2)

Back″stitch′, v. t. To sew with backstitches; as, to backstitch a seam.

156

Backstop

Back″stop′ (?), n. 1. In baseball, a fence, prop. at least 90 feet behind the home base, to stop the balls that pass the catcher; also, the catcher himself.2. In rounders, the p...

157

Backstress

Back″stress (�), n. A female baker.

158

Backsword

Back″sword′ (�), n. [2d back, n. + sword.] 1. A sword with one sharp edge.2. In England, a stick with a basket handle, used in rustic amusements; also, the game in which the sti...

159

Backward

{ Back″ward (�), Back″wards (�), } adv. [Back, adv. + -ward.] 1. With the back in advance or foremost; as, to ride backward.2. Toward the back; toward the rear; as, to throw the...

160

Backward (2)

Back″ward, a. 1. Directed to the back or rear; as, backward glances.2. Unwilling; averse; reluctant; hesitating; loath.For wiser brutes were backward to be slaves.Pope.3. Not we...

161

Backward (3)

Back″ward, n. The state behind or past.In the dark backward and abysm of time.Shak.

162

Backward (4)

Back″ward, v. t. To keep back; to hinder.