{ "term": "back", "partOfSpeech": "noun", "ox3000": true, "cefr": "a1", "image": "data/images/bo/body.png", "definitions": [ { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "the part of the human body that is on the opposite side to the chest, between the neck and the tops of the legs; the part of an animal’s body that corresponds to this", "sensetop": "on your backwith your back to somebody/somethingbehind your backat your backin your/the back", "labels": "(informal)(formal)(British English)(British English)(disapproving)(both informal, often disapproving)(informal, disapproving)", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "He was lying on his back on the sofa.", "contextForm": "on your back" }, { "text": "Do you sleep on your back or your front?" }, { "text": "She was standing with her back to the camera so you can't see her face.", "contextForm": "with your back to somebody/something" }, { "text": "They stood with their hands behind their backs.", "contextForm": "behind your back" }, { "text": "They set off with the wind at their backs *(= behind them)*.", "contextForm": "at your back" }, { "text": "your lower/upper back" }, { "text": "I have a nagging pain in my lower back.", "contextForm": "in your/the back" }, { "text": "The ball hit him in the back." }, { "text": "a bad *(= painful)* back" }, { "text": "I pulled *(= injured the muscles in)* my back playing squash." }, { "text": "She was laid up with severe **back pain**." }, { "text": "A small boy rode on the elephant's back." }, { "text": "He stood with his back to the door." }, { "text": "a back massage" }, { "text": "He was carrying a small child on his back." }, { "text": "They blindfolded him and tied his hands behind his back." }, { "text": "He was standing with his back to the fire." }, { "text": "He smiled and gave me a hearty slap on the back." }, { "text": "He yawned and stretched his back as he got out of bed." }, { "text": "The cat arched its back and hissed at the dog." }, { "text": "He hunches his back when he walks." }, { "text": "His back stiffened as he saw the photographers waiting." }, { "text": "He leaned his back against the bar." }, { "text": "He's in bed with a bad back." }, { "text": "I was flat on my back for six weeks when I broke my leg." }, { "text": "She felt a sharp pain in the small of her back." }, { "text": "The sun beat down on their bare backs." }, { "text": "Would you give me a back rub?" }, { "text": "I need a seat with good back support." } ], "topics": ["Body"], "collocations": { "adjective": ["broad", "slender", "muscular"], "verb + back": ["bend", "hunch", "straighten"], "back + verb": ["arch", "stiffen", "straighten"], "back + noun": ["injury", "pain", "trouble"], "preposition": [ "behind somebody’s back", "flat on your back", "on your back" ], "phrases": [ "somebody’s back is turned", "back to back", "a pat on the back" ] } }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "the row of bones in the middle of the back", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "She broke her back in a riding accident." }, { "text": "He spent six months recovering from a **broken back**." }, { "text": "He **put his back out** *(= something in his back)* lifting the crates." } ], "collocations": { "adjective": ["broad", "slender", "muscular"], "verb + back": ["bend", "hunch", "straighten"], "back + verb": ["arch", "stiffen", "straighten"], "back + noun": ["injury", "pain", "trouble"], "preposition": [ "behind somebody’s back", "flat on your back", "on your back" ], "phrases": [ "somebody’s back is turned", "back to back", "a pat on the back" ] } }, { "senseNumber": 3, "definition": "the part or area of something that is furthest from the front", "sensetop": "at the backin the backin backaround the back", "labels": "(British English)(North American English)", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "She was hit on the **back of the head**." }, { "text": "He kicked the ball straight into the **back of the net**." }, { "text": "The man was refusing to go to the back of the queue." }, { "text": "The house has three bedrooms at the front and two at the back.", "contextForm": "at the back" }, { "text": "We could only get seats at the back *(= of a room)*." }, { "text": "There's room for three people in the back *(= of a car, etc.)*.", "contextForm": "in the back" }, { "text": "There's room for three people in back.", "contextForm": "in back" }, { "text": "Come around the back *(= to the area behind the house)* and I'll show you the garden.", "contextForm": "around the back" }, { "text": "He was hit in the back of the knee." }, { "text": "I found some old photos at the back of the drawer." }, { "text": "They were sitting in the back of the truck." }, { "text": "My money's all fallen down the back of the cushion." }, { "text": "The cup had been pushed to the back of the cupboard." }, { "text": "Two passengers sat in the back of the car." } ], "collocations": { "preposition": ["around back", "around the back", "round the back"], "phrases": ["back to front"] } }, { "senseNumber": 4, "definition": "the part of a piece of paper, etc. that is on the opposite side to the one that has information or the most important information on it", "sensetop": "on the backon the back of something", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "Take a card and write your name on the back.", "contextForm": "on the back" }, { "text": "He scribbled some figures on the back of an envelope.", "contextForm": "on the back of something" } ] }, { "senseNumber": 5, "definition": "the last few pages of a book, etc.", "sensetop": "at the back (of something)in the back (of something)towards the back (of something)", "cefr": "a1", "ox3000": true, "examples": [ { "text": "The index is at the back of the journal.", "contextForm": "at the back (of something)" }, { "text": "The answer key is in the back of the book.", "contextForm": "in the back (of something)" }, { "text": "The article I mentioned is in that magazine—towards the back I think.", "contextForm": "towards the back (of something)" }, { "text": "The arts page is usually towards the back of the newspaper." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 6, "definition": "the part of a chair, etc. against which you lean your back", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": 7, "definition": "used to describe furniture that has the type of back mentioned", "examples": [ { "text": "a high-backed sofa" } ] }, { "senseNumber": 8, "definition": "a player whose main role is to defend their team’s goal", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "if a thought, etc. is at the back of your mind, you are aware of it but it is not what you are mainly thinking about", "examples": [ { "text": "At the back of my mind was a small, warning voice, telling me it was wrong." }, { "text": "The problem was always at the back of my mind." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "when somebody's back is turned they are not present and not able to see what is happening", "examples": [ { "text": "Officers are ready to issue a parking ticket as soon as a driver's back is turned." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "a place that is a long way from other houses, towns, etc.", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "We stayed in some farmhouse in the back of beyond." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to talk about planning or calculating something in a way that is not detailed, exact or complete", "examples": [ { "text": "We added up our savings on the back of an envelope." }, { "text": "**back-of-the-envelope calculations**" } ] }, { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "if two people stand or sit back to back, they stand or sit with their backs facing or touching each other", "examples": [ { "text": "The children sat back to back so they couldn't see each others' drawings." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "if two or more things happen back to back, they happen one after the other", "examples": [ { "text": "The team had to play three games back to back." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "if you put on a piece of clothing back to front, you make a mistake and put the back where the front should be", "examples": [ { "text": "I think you've got that sweater on back to front." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be happy that you will not have to deal with or see somebody/something again because you do not like them or it", "labels": "(informal, especially British English)", "examples": [ { "text": "Was I pleased to see the back of her!" }, { "text": "I can’t wait to see the back of that old car." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "without somebody’s knowledge or permission", "examples": [ { "text": "Have you been talking about me behind my back?" }, { "text": "They went ahead and sold it behind my back." }, { "text": "People say bad things about him behind his back, but never to his face." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to keep asking or telling somebody to do something that they do not want to do, in a way that they find annoying", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "He’s still on my back about that money I borrowed." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to finish the largest or most important part of a task", "examples": [ { "text": "I want to break the back of this translation before the weekend." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to realize that you may be blamed or criticized for something later and take action to avoid this", "examples": [ { "text": "Get everything in writing in order to cover your back." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to annoy somebody", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "That sort of attitude really gets my back up!" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to stop annoying somebody, for example by criticizing them, or asking them to do something", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "Just get off my back, will you!" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to protect and support somebody", "labels": "(North American English, informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "Don't worry, I've got your back." }, { "text": "I’m loyal and I’ve got your back." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be in a difficult situation in which you are forced to do something but are unable to make the choices that you would like", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "We had our backs to the wall with no choice but to sell." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be aware of everything that is happening around you, even things that seem difficult or impossible to see", "examples": [ { "text": "You can’t get away with anything in her class. She has eyes in the back of her head." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to be very familiar with somebody/something", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "This is where I grew up. I know this area like the back of my hand." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "the last in a series of bad events, etc. that makes it impossible for you to accept a situation any longer", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to do something that will cause problems for you in the future", "examples": [], "topics": ["Difficulty and failure"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "immediately after something", "examples": [ { "text": "They come into this game off the back of a 1–0 defeat to Chelsea." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "as a result of an achievement or a success", "examples": [ { "text": "The profits growth came on the back of a 26 per cent rise in sales." } ], "topics": ["Success"] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "goods that fell off the back of a lorry were probably stolen. People say or accept that they came ‘off the back of a lorry’ to avoid saying or asking where they really came from.", "labels": "(British English, informal, humorous)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "in bed because you are ill", "labels": "(informal)(figurative)", "examples": [ { "text": "She's been flat on her back for over a week now." }, { "text": "The UK market was flat on its back *(= business was very bad)*." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "praise or approval for something that you have done well", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "He deserves a pat on the back for all his hard work." }, { "text": "Give yourself a pat on the back!" } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to praise somebody or yourself for doing something well", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to try to forget about something unpleasant", "examples": [ { "text": "I tried to push the thought to the back of my mind." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to use a lot of effort and energy on a particular task", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "anything that somebody has, including the things they really need themselves, that somebody else takes from them or they are willing to give", "examples": [ { "text": "He was the type of person who would give you the shirt off his back." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "an act that harms somebody, done by a person they thought was a friend", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "Her refusal to support his campaign was a real stab in the back." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to do or say something that harms somebody who trusts you", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to turn so that you are facing in the opposite direction", "examples": [] }, { "senseNumber": 1, "definition": "to move so that you are standing or sitting with your back facing somebody/something", "examples": [ { "text": "When on stage, try not to turn your back on the audience." } ] }, { "senseNumber": 2, "definition": "to reject somebody/something that you have previously been connected with", "examples": [ { "text": "She turned her back on them when they needed her." }, { "text": "More and more people are turning their backs on meat and becoming vegetarians or vegans." }, { "text": "She decided to turn her back on Paris and return home." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "to protect yourself against danger", "examples": [ { "text": "She'd better watch her back if she wants to hold onto the top job." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to say that something, especially criticism, has no effect on somebody/something", "labels": "(informal)", "examples": [ { "text": "I can't tell my son what to do; it's water off a duck's back with him." } ] }, { "senseNumber": null, "definition": "used to say that if somebody helps you, you will help them, even if this is unfair to others", "labels": "(saying)", "examples": [] } ], "pronunciations": { "uk": [ { "pronunciation": "/bæk/", "audio": "ba/back/back__gb_2.mp3" } ], "us": [ { "pronunciation": "/bæk/", "audio": "ba/back/back__us_1.mp3" } ] }, "wordOrigin": "Old English bæc, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Dutch and Old Norse bak. The adverb use dates from late Middle English and is a shortening of aback." }