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back
/bæk/
rear part
She turned her back to the wind.
She turned the rear part of her body toward the wind.
neutral
the rear part of a person or thing
The back of the chair is broken.
The rear part of the chair is damaged.
He patted the dog on its back.
He touched the dog's rear part gently.
Used for both people and objects. Often paired with 'of' (e.g., 'back of the room').
neutral
to move or cause to move backward
The car backed into the garage.
The car moved in reverse into the garage.
She backed away from the edge.
She moved away from the edge in a backward direction.
Common in phrasal verbs like 'back up' (support) or 'back out' (withdraw).
neutral
to support or endorse
The manager backed the new policy.
The manager supported the new policy.
Often used in business or political contexts.
neutral
away from the front or toward the rear
Step back from the fire.
Move away from the fire toward the rear.
Used as an adverb or preposition (e.g., 'back of the line').
Medicine
neutral
the spine or upper part of the body
She injured her back in the accident.
She hurt the upper part of her body in the accident.
In medical contexts, 'back' often refers to the spinal column or posterior torso.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguish 'back' as noun vs. verb
When 'back' is a noun, it refers to a part (e.g., 'the back of the house'). When it's a verb, it describes movement or support (e.g., 'She backed the car into the driveway').
Gold Rule
Avoid ambiguity with 'back'
Context is key. 'Back' can mean position ('the back row'), movement ('step back'), or support ('back a project'). Always check the surrounding words.
Word Origin
Old English 'bæc', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'rug' and German 'Rücken'.
Usage Notes
The word 'back' is highly polysemous and context-dependent. Pay attention to whether it refers to position, movement, support, or anatomy.
Word Breakdown
back
rear part or support
rootEnglish Dictionary