Emily Dickinson Lexicon

BACK'ED, a.

Having a back; a word used in composition; as, broad-backed, hump-backed.

BACK'ED, pp.

Mounted; having on the back; supported by aid; seconded; moved backward.

BACK'FRIEND, n. [back and friend.]

A secret enemy. South.

BACK-GAM'MON, n. [W. bac, small, and cammaun, conflict, battle; camp, a game.]

A game played by two persons, upon a table, with box and dice. The table is in two parts, on which are 24 black and white spaces, called points. Each player has 15 men of different colors for the purpose of distinction. Encyc.

BACK'GROUND, n. [back and ground.]

1. Ground in the rear or behind, as opposed to the front.
2. A place of obscurity, or shade; a situation little seen, or noticed.

BACK'HAND-ED, a. [back and hand.]

With the hand turned backward; as, a backhanded blow.

BACK'HAND-ED, adv.

With the hand directed backward, as, to strike backhanded.

BACK'HOUSE, n. [back and house.]

A building behind the main or front building.

BACK'ING, ppr.

Mounting; moving back, as a horse; seconding.

BACK'PAINT-ING, n. [back and paint.]

The method of painting mezzotinto prints, pasted on glass of a size to fit the print. Encyc.

BACK'PIECE, n. [back and piece.]

The piece of armor which covers the back.

BACK'RE-TURN, n.

Repeated return. Shak.

BACK'ROOM, n. [back and room.]

A room behind the front room, or in the back part of the house.

BACKS, n.

Among dealers in leather, the thickest and best tanned hides. Encyc.

BACK'SET, a. [back and set.]

Set upon in the rear. Anderson.

BACK'SIDE, n. [back and side.]

1. The back part of any thing; the part behind that which is presented to the face of a spectator. Ex. iii.
2. The hind part of an animal.
3. The yard, ground or place behind a house.

BACK'SLIDE, v.i. [back and slide.]

To fall off; to apostatize; to turn gradually from the faith and practice of Christianity. Jer. iii. Hos. iv.

BACK-SLI'DER, n.

1. An apostate; one who falls from the faith and practice of religion. Prov. xiv.
2. One who neglects his vows of obedience and falls into sin.

BACK-SLI'DING, n.

The act of apostatizing from faith or practice; a falling insensibly from religion into sin or idolatry. Jer. v. 6.

BACK-SLID'ING-NESS, n.

The state of backsliding.

BACK'STAFF, n. [back and staff, so called from its being used with the observer's back toward the sun.]

A quadrant; an instrument for taking the sun's altitude at sea; called also, from its inventor, Davis's quadrant. Encyc.

BACK'STAIRS, n. [back and stairs.]

Stairs in the back part of a house; private stairs; and figuratively, a private or indirect way.

BACK'STAYS, n. [back and stay.]

Long ropes or stays extending from the top-mast heads to both sides of a ship, to assist the shrouds in supporting the mast, when strained by a weight of sail, and prevent it from giving way and falling overboard. Mar. Dict.

BACK'STONE, n.

The heated stone on which oat-cake is baked. North of England.

BACK'SWORD, n. [back and sword.]

A sword with one sharp edge. In England, a stick with a basket handle, used in rustic amusements. Arbuthnot.