17 PHRASE If someone or something puts your back up or gets your back up , they annoy you. [INFORMAL ] □ Some food labelling practices really get my back up.
18 to take a back seat → see seat
➌ back ◆◆◆ /bæ k/ (backs , backing , backed )
1 VERB If a building backs onto something, the back of it faces in the direction of that thing or touches the edge of that thing. □ [V + onto ] We live in a ground floor flat which backs onto a busy street. □ [V + onto ] His garden backs onto a school.
2 VERB When you back a car or other vehicle somewhere or when it backs somewhere, it moves backwards. □ [V n prep/adv] He backed his car out of the drive. □ [V ] I heard the engines revving as the lorries backed and turned.
3 VERB If you back a person or a course of action, you support them, for example by voting for them or giving them money. □ [V n] There is a new witness to back his claim that he is a victim of mistaken identity. ● -backed COMB □ …government-backed loans to Egypt.
4 VERB If you back a particular person, team, or horse in a competition, you predict that they will win, and usually you bet money that they will win. □ [V n to-inf] He was heavily backed to win two Majors. □ [V n] It is upsetting to discover that you have backed a loser.
5 VERB [usu passive] If a singer is backed by a band or by other singers, they provide the musical background for the singer. □ [be V -ed + by ] She was backed by acoustic guitar, bass and congas.
6 → see also backing
▸ back away
1 PHRASAL VERB If you back away from a commitment that you made or something that you were involved with in the past, you try to show that you are no longer committed to it or involved with it. □ [V P + from ] The company backed away from plans to cut their pay by 15%. □ [V P ] Until yesterday, Britain had backed away because it didn't like the cost.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you back away , you walk backwards away from someone or something, often because you are frightened of them. □ [V P ] James got to his feet and started to come over, but the girls hastily backed away. [Also V P + from ]
▸ back down PHRASAL VERB If you back down , you withdraw a claim, demand, or commitment that you made earlier, because other people are strongly opposed to it. □ [V P ] It's too late to back down now. □ [V P + on/over ] He had to back down on plans to backdate the tax changes.
▸ back off
1 PHRASAL VERB If you back off , you move away in order to avoid problems or a fight. □ [V P ] They backed off in horror.
2 PHRASAL VERB If you back off from a claim, demand, or commitment that you made earlier, or if you back off it, you withdraw it. □ [V P + from ] A spokesman says the president has backed off from his threat to boycott the conference. □ [V P n] The union has publicly backed off that demand.
▸ back out PHRASAL VERB If you back out , you decide not to do something that you previously agreed to do. □ [V P + of ] Madonna backed out of the project after much wrangling. □ [V P ] Wells was supposed to put up half the money, but later backed out.
▸ back up
1 PHRASAL VERB If someone or something backs up a statement, they supply evidence to suggest that it is true. □ [V P n] Radio signals received from the galaxy's centre back up the black hole theory. [Also V n P ]
2 PHRASAL VERB If you back up a computer file, you make a copy of it which you can use if the original file is damaged or lost. [COMPUTING ] □ [V P n] Make a point of backing up your files at regular intervals. □ [V n P ] I get so annoyed when I lose work because I've forgotten to back it up.
3 PHRASAL VERB If an idea or intention is backed up by action, action is taken to support or confirm it. □ [be V -ed P ] The Secretary General says the declaration must now be backed up by concrete and effective actions. □ [V P n] It is time the Government backed up its advert campaigns with tougher measures. [Also V n P ]
4 PHRASAL VERB If you back someone up , you show your support for them. □ [V n P ] His employers, Norfolk Social Services, backed him up. [Also V P n]
5 PHRASAL VERB If you back someone up , you help them by confirming that what they are saying is true. □ [V n P ] The girl denied being there, and the man backed her up. [Also V P n]
6 PHRASAL VERB If you back up , the car or other vehicle that you are driving moves back a short distance. □ [V P ] Back up, Hans. □ [V P + to ] A police van drove through the protesters and backed up to the front door of the house.
7 PHRASAL VERB If vehicles back up , they form a line of traffic which has to wait before it can move on. □ [be V -ed P ] Traffic into London on the M11 was backed up for several miles. [Also V P , V P n]
8 PHRASAL VERB If you back up , you move backwards a short distance. □ [V P ] I backed up carefully until I felt the wall against my back. □ [V P amount] She backed up a few steps.
9 → see also backup USAGE back
You never use ‘back’ with the verb return
. You do not say, for example, ‘