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back

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*back

(at someone) repaying someone for a bad deed. (*Typically: get ~; have ~.) Tom called me a jerk, but I'll get back at him. I don't know how I'll get back for her insult, but I will.

*back (some place)

returned to some place; at some place again. (*Typically: be ~; get ~; arrive ~.) I can't wait till we get back home. When will we get back? Is it much farther?

back

n. one’s support or second in a fight. (From back-up.) I need a back I can depend on.

See:

• (one's) back is up
• a back-handed compliment
• a knife in the back
• a monkey on (one's) back
• a monkey on back
• a pat on the back
• a slap on the back
• a stab in the back
• a while back
• all the way to Egery and back
• answer back
• argue back
• arrive back
• ask back
• at the back of (one's) mind
• at the back of beyond
• at the back of mind
• back
• back alley
• back and edge
• back and fill
• back and forth
• back at it
• back at you
• back atcha
• back away
• back burner
• back burner, on a
• back door
• back down
• back East
• back for
• back forty
• back in circulation
• back in harness
• back in the day
• back in the game
• back in the saddle
• back in(to) (the) harness
• back in(to) circulation
• back into
• back into a corner
• back number
• back of
• back of (one's) hand
• back of (the) beyond
• back of beyond
• back of one's hand
• back of one's mind
• back of the beyond
• back of the black stump
• back off
• back office
• back on (one's) feet
• back on feet
• back on track
• back oneself into a corner
• back onto
• back order
• back out
• back out (of something)
• back out of
• back over
• back room
• back room boys
• back street
• back the wrong horse
• back to back
• back to basics
• back to earth
• back to square one
• back to the drawing board
• back to the salt mines
• back to the wall
• back up
• back up to
• back water
• back-alley
• back-assward
• back-breaking
• back-cloth star
• backdoor
• back-ender
• back-handed compliment
• back-of-the-envelope calculation
• back-order
• backpedal
• backstabber
• back-to-back
• back-to-back-to-back
• be (flat) on (one's) back
• be [glad etc.] to see the back of
• be back in business
• be back in harness
• be back on the rails
• be fed up to the back teeth
• be glad to see the back of (someone)
• be no skin off (one's) back
• be on back
• be on the back burner
• be on the back foot
• be right back
• be water off a duck's back
• beast with two backs
• beat back
• been to hell and back
• behind (one's) back
• behind back
• behind someone's back
• bend back
• bite back
• blink tears back
• bounce back
• bounce back and forth
• boys in the back room
• break back
• break neck
• break one's back
• break the back of
• bring back
• bring back out
• bring back to life
• bring back to reality
• brush back
• buy back
• by the back door
• call back
• carry a Chinaman on (one's) back
• carry back
• cast back
• cast mind back
• change back
• check back
• choke back
• chop back
• clap back
• claw your way back from
• come back
• Come back and see us
• Come back anytime
• come back from the dead
• come back to bite you
• come back to haunt one
• Come back when you can stay longer
• comment back
• could do with one arm tied behind back
• couldn't find (one's) way out of a paper bag
• cover back
• crawl back to
• crawl into (one's) shell
• crick in back
• cut back
• cut back to
• date back
• dead on one's feet
• dial back
• die back
• double back
• draw back
• drift back
• drive back
• drive back on
• drive back to
• drop back
• drunk back
• ease back
• echo back to
• eyes in the back of one's head, have
• fade back
• fall back
• fall back on
• fall off the back of a lorry
• fall off the back of a truck
• feed back into
• feed back to
• fight back
• fire back
• fit on the back of a postage stamp
• flash back
• flashback Friday
• flat on back
• flat on one's back
• fling back
• fling head back
• fold back
• follow back
• force back
• from way back
• get (one's) own back
• get (someone's) back
• get (someone's) back up
• get back
• get back at
• get back on the horse (that bucked you)
• get back to
• get back to (someone)
• get back to (someone) on (something)
• get back up
• get dander up
• get ears pinned back
• get off (one's) back
• get off back
• Get off case!
• Get off my ass!
• Get off my back!
• get off someone’s back
• get own back
• get someone's back up
• get your bait back
• give (someone) the back of (one's) hand
• give back
• give the shirt off back
• give the shirt off one's back
• glance back
• go back
• go back a long way
• go back on
• go back on word
• go back to
• go back to square one
• go back to the drawing board
• go back to the salt mines
• go behind back
• grow back
• gulp back
• hand back
• hang back
• harder than the back of God's head
• hark back
• hark back to
• have (got) (someone's) back
• have a broad back
• have a Chinaman on (one's) back
• have a monkey on one’s back
• have a yellow belly
• have a yellow streak down one’s back
• have back
• have back against the wall
• have back to the wall
• have back up
• have been to hell and back
• have calluses from patting own back
• have eyes in the back of head
• have got back
• have the shirt off back
• head back
• help back
• hit back
• hold back
• hurry back
• I'll call back later
• I'll get back to you
• in circulation
• in harness
• in play
• in the back
• in the back of mind
• in the groove
• inch back
• It is the last straw that breaks the camel's back
• juice back
• juice something back
• keep back
• keep off back
• kick back
• knock back
• knock back a drink
• knock one back
• knock something back
• know like a book
• know like the back of hand
• know like the palm of hand
• laid back
• laid-back
• lash back
• last straw, the
• lead back
• lean back
• lease back
• lie back
• lie back and think of England
• like back
• like water off a duck's back
• live off the backs of
• loll back
• look back
• make a rod for own back
• make the beast with two backs
• make way back
• monkey off (one's) back
• monkey on (one's) back
• monkey on one's back
• move back
• move the/(one's) clock(s) back
• nail back
• nail ears back
• never look back
• no skin off (one's) back
• nurse back to health
• off back
• off someone's back
• off the back of a lorry
• on back
• on case
• on one's feet
• on someone's back
• on the back burner
• on the back foot
• on the back of (something)
• once you go black, you never go back
• one step forward and two steps back
• One step forward, two steps back
• out back
• out front
• pace back and forth
• pass back
• pat on the back
• pay (one) back in kind
• pay back
• pay back in own coin
• peel back
• pin back
• pin back ears
• pin ears back
• pin someone’s ears back
• pin someone's ears back
• pinch back
• place back
• play back
• plow back
• plow back into
• pop back
• pour back
• pull back
• push back
• push back the clock
• put (one's/someone's) back up
• put (something) on the back burner
• put back
• put back into
• put back the clock
• put back to
• Put it in their back yard!
• put one's back into it
• put the clock back
• put the genie back in the bottle
• put the/(one's) clock(s) back
• reach back to
• read back
• rear back
• rear-ender
• receive back
• reel back
• refer back to
• rein back on
• report back
• retrieve from some place
• ride (someone's) back
• ride on the back of
• right back at you
• right back atcha
• ring back
• roar back
• roll back
• roll back the clock
• roll back the years
• roll prices back
• row back
• run back
• run back over
• run back to
• sass back
• save for a rainy day
• scale back
• scratch back
• scratch someone's back
• see back
• see the back of
• send back
• send back for
• set (one's/someone's) back up
• set back
• set back from
• set back on one's heels
• set back the clock
• set one back on heels
• set one back on one's feet
• set someone back
• set the/(one's) clock(s) back
• shotty back
• show (someone) the back of (one's) hand
• shrink back
• sink back
• sit back
• sit back and
• sit back and let happen
• slap on the back
• slick back
• slip back
• smooth back
• snap back
• spring back
• stab in the back
• stab in the back, a
• stand back
• stand back of
• start back
• stay back
• step back
• step back on
• strike back
• sway back and forth
• sweep back
• switch back
• take a back seat
• take back
• take back to
• take one back
• talk back
• talk out of the back of head
• talk through the back of (one's) neck
• the boys in the back room
• the shirt off back
• the straw that breaks the camel's back
• the straw that breaks the donkey's back
• the straw that broke the camel's back
• the straw that broke the donkey's back
• there and back
• think back
• throttle back
• through the back door
• throw back
• throw back at
• throw back in face
• throw back to
• throw something back
• thrust back
• tie back
• tilt back
• to back
• tore back
• toss back
• toss back and forth
• trace back
• try back
• try someone back
• try someone back again
• turn back
• turn back on
• turn back the clock
• turn one's back on
• turn the clock back
• turn the/(one's) clock(s) back
• walk back
• want back
• watch (someone's) back
• watch back
• wave back
• way back
• way back when
• welcome back
• wet back
• when back is turned
• when one's back is turned
• whip back
• win back
• wind at (one's) back
• wind back
• wind back the clock
• wire back to
• with back against the wall
• with one arm tied behind one's back
• with one hand tied behind back
• would give you the shirt off back
• write back to
• You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours