2 N‑COUNT [usu sing, oft against N ] The background to an event or situation consists of the facts that explain what caused it. □ The meeting takes place against a background of continuing political violence. □ …background information.
3 N‑SING The background is sounds, such as music, which you can hear but which you are not listening to with your full attention. □ I kept hearing the sound of applause in the background. □ The background music was provided by an accordion player.
4 N‑COUNT [usu sing] You can use background to refer to the things in a picture or scene that are less noticeable or important than the main things or people in it. □ …roses patterned on a blue background. ● PHRASE Someone who stays in the background avoids being noticed, although the things that they do are important or influential. □ Rosemary likes to stay in the background. SYNONYMS background NOUN
1
upbringing: Martin's upbringing shaped his whole life.
childhood: She had a happy childhood.
nurture: The human organism learns partly by nature, partly by nurture.
2
environment: The twins were brought up in entirely different environments.
circumstances: The strategy was too dangerous in the explosive circumstances of the times.
history: He couldn't get a new job because of his medical history.
conditions: The conditions are ripe for the spread of disease.
back|hand /bæ khænd/ (backhands ) N‑VAR A backhand is a shot in tennis or squash, which you make with your arm across your body. □ She practised her backhand.
back|hand|ed /bæ khæ nd I d, [AM ] -hænd I d/ also back-handed
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A backhanded compliment is a remark which seems to be an insult but could also be understood as a compliment. A backhanded compliment is also a remark which seems to be a compliment but could also be understood as an insult. □ Saying she's improved comes over as a backhanded compliment.
2 ADJ [ADJ n] If you say that someone is doing something in a backhanded way, they are doing it indirectly. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ In a backhanded way, I think a lot of my energy and strength comes from my campaigning.
back|hand|er /bæ khændə r / (backhanders ) also back-hander N‑COUNT A backhander is an amount of money that is illegally paid to someone in a position of authority in order to encourage them to do something. [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
back|ing ◆◇◇ /bæ k I ŋ/ (backings )
1 N‑UNCOUNT If someone has the backing of an organization or an important person, they receive support or money from that organization or person in order to do something. □ [+ of ] He said the president had the full backing of his government to negotiate a deal. □ [+ of ] Mr Bach set up his own consulting business with the backing of his old boss. [Also + for ]
2 N‑VAR A backing is a layer of something such as cloth that is put onto the back of something in order to strengthen or protect it.
3 N‑COUNT [oft N n] The backing of a popular song is the music which is sung or played to accompany the main tune. □ For a while, she sang backing vocals in a folk-rock group. SYNONYMS backing NOUN 1
support: The prime minister gave his full support to the government's reforms.
approvaclass="underline" The chairman has also given his approval for an investigation into the case.
endorsement: It's important that we get the endorsement of the local colleges.
ba ck i s|sue (back issues ) N‑COUNT A back issue of a magazine or newspaper is one that was published some time ago and is not the most recent.
back|lash /bæ klæʃ/ N‑SING A backlash against a tendency or recent development in society or politics, is a sudden, strong reaction against it. □ …the male backlash against feminism. □ …a right-wing backlash.
back|less /bæ kləs/ ADJ [usu ADJ n] A backless dress leaves most of a woman's back uncovered down to her waist.
back|log /bæ klɒg, [AM ] -lɔːg/ (backlogs ) N‑COUNT A backlog is a number of things which have not yet been done but which need to be done. □ There is a backlog of repairs and maintenance in schools.
ba ck nu m|ber (back numbers ) N‑COUNT A back number of a magazine or newspaper is the same as a back issue .
back|pack /bæ kpæk/ (backpacks ) N‑COUNT A backpack is a bag with straps that go over your shoulders, so that you can carry things on your back when you are walking or climbing.
back|pack|er /bæ kpækə r / (backpackers ) N‑COUNT A backpacker is a person who goes travelling with a backpack.
back|pack|ing /bæ kpæk I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT If you go backpacking , you go travelling with a backpack.
ba ck pa s|sage (back passages ) N‑COUNT People sometimes refer to their rectum as their back passage . [BRIT , INFORMAL ]
ba ck pay N‑UNCOUNT Back pay is money which an employer owes an employee for work that he or she did in the past. [BUSINESS ] □ He will receive $6,000 in back pay.
ba ck-pe dal (back-pedals , back-pedalling , back-pedalled ) also backpedal The forms back-pedaling and back-pedaled are used in American English. 1 VERB If you back-pedal , you express a different or less forceful opinion about something from the one you have previously expressed. □ [V ] Allen back-pedalled, saying that he had had no intention of offending them. □ [V + on ] He appeared to back-pedal on that statement.