back v.2
SE in slang uses
In phrases
(US) used to express a perceived successful riposte.
[ | Flash (NY) 29 Jan. n.p.: ‘Bad luck to yewr sowl! ye blackguard baste! cried she. ‘Whore, back in yer teeth!’]. | |
N.Y. Age 3 Apr. 7/2: [headline] back atchoo. | ‘Truckin ’round Brooklyn’ in||
Prayers for Rain 30: ‘I don’t sleep with him anymore.’ ‘Well I don’t sleep with her anymore.’ ‘Congratulations.’ ‘Back at you’. |
(Aus.) to turn up, to attend an event.
Sydney Sportsman (Surry Hills, NSW) 8 Jan. 1/5: [This] fact (the getting away with the oof, not the time made) will probably greatly annoy the industrious fielder when he eventually backs in for his cut. |
In compounds
(US) cowardice; the act of withdrawal.
Western Souvenir (1830) 314: There’s no back out in none of my breed [DA]. | ||
Charcoal Sketches (1865) 169: ‘No back-out in him,’ mumbled Sniggs. | ||
Pickings from N.O. Picayune (1847) 134: I is always ready [...] there’s no back out in me. | ||
N.Y. Clipper 4 June 3/1: As things had gone so far, there was no ‘back out’ in either one, so the fight commenced. | ||
Boston Weekly Globe 28 Mar. in Farmer Americanisms (1889) 28: Mr. Barker’s back-out has not much surprised me. |
see separate entries.
see separate entry.
(Aus.) to butt in; to ask for more.
(con. WWI) Gloss. of Sl. [...] in the A.I.F. 1921–1924 (rev. t/s) n.p.: back in one’s cart. Interfere, to ask for more. |
(US) to surpass.
(con. 1910s) Studs Lonigan (1936) 54: ‘As a Romeo, he’s got Studs backed off the boards,’ Bill said. | Young Lonigan in||
AS XXXVI:3 227: back off the boards, v. To beat. | ‘Miscellany’ in
( Aus. prison) to gang up against.
Big Huey 168: In our gang we all used to back on Barclay because we’d all talked it over and decided to stick together. |
to defecate.
Roger’s Profanisaurus 3 in Viz 98 Oct. 3: back one outv. The act of reverse parking your breakfast, usually involving much looking over the shoulder, sweating and grunting. | ||
🌐 It’s funny, as soon as the ‘pace car’ (leading shite) is away the rest comes roaring out of the pits behind it. As a rule I generally ‘back one out’ twice a day. | ‘A Day In The Life Of...’ 29 Apr.
(W.I.) to masturbate.
Official Dancehall Dict. 8: Back-yuh fist male masturbation. |
1. to retreat [horseracing jargon back out, to bring a horse backwards out of a stall].
‘Sweet Betsey from Pike’ in Songs of the Amer. West (1968) 43: Ike became jealous – obtained a divorce; / Sweet Betsey [...] said with a shout, ‘Good bye you big lummox, I’m glad you’ve backed out!’. | et al.||
, , | Sl. Dict. | |
Dict. of Aus. Words And Terms 🌐 BACK OUT — To retreat from a difficulty. | ||
Rumble on the Docks (1955) 87: ‘You think they backed out?’ said Sully. |
2. (UK Black) to draw a gun [the carrying of the gun in the small of one’s back].
🎵 Back out my ting and make man swim. | ‘Next Up?’||
🎵 They see Horrid1 and they panic / He backed out the mash try slap it. | ‘No Hook’
(US) to challenge, to face down.
Georgia Scenes (1848) 28: I didn’t care about trading, but you cut such high shines that I thought I’d like to back you out, and I’ve done it. | ||
DN III 357: Back out, To dare or challenge. |
see under play n.
(Aus.) to interfere, to butt in.
I Travelled a Lonely Land (1957) 229/2: back the barber – to butt into, interfere. |
(Aus.) to interfere, to butt in.
Songs of a Sentimental Bloke gloss. 🌐 Back the Barrer – To intervene without invitation. |
(US) to chatter, to gossip.
Woods Words n.p.: Backin’ the breeze— A man so gabby he makes the wind blow backwards. |
see separate entries.
(US) to retract a statement, to back down from a position; thus take back water, to back down, to accept defeat.
N.O. Picayune (LA) 17 Mar. 1: Day before yesterday Boston waked up under a coverlid of snow, dropped from the clouds over-night. This makes business back water. | ||
Nevada Journal 12 Dec. 1: Green was a large, powerful man, but had no grit, and Shortez offered to fight him for the money but Green backed water. | ||
‘Central Connecticut Word-List’ in DN III:i 2: back water, v. Withdraw. | ||
Nights in Town 305: ’Ullo, ’ullo, ’ullo! Back water there, some of yer. | ||
AS XXII:2 89: back water, v. To retreat, or withdraw. | ‘The Background of Mark Twain’s Vocabulary’ in||
Seraph on the Suwanee (1995) 721: She would not, however, let on that she was backing water. |