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n. [ 2d back, n. + saw. ] A saw (as a tenon saw) whose blade is stiffened by an added metallic back. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Back, adv. + set. ] 1. A check; a relapse; a discouragement; a setback. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Whatever is thrown back in its course, as water. [ 1913 Webster ]

Slackwater, or the backset caused by the overflow. Harper's Mag. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To plow again, in the fall; -- said of prairie land broken up in the spring. [ Western U.S. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Back, a. + settler. ] One living in the back or outlying districts of a community. [ 1913 Webster ]

The English backsettlers of Leinster and Munster. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ ‖ ‖ } n. [ Pers. bakhshīsh, fr. bakhshīdan to give. ] In Egypt and the Turkish empire, a relatively small amount of money given for services rendered (as by a waiter); a gratuity; a “tip”.
Syn. -- gratuity, tip, baksheesh, bakshish, bakshis. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Back, a. + side. ] The hinder part, posteriors, or rump of a person or animal. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Backside (one word) was formerly used of the rear part or side of any thing or place, but in such senses is now two words. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Back, adv. + sight. ] (Surv.) The reading of the leveling staff in its unchanged position when the leveling instrument has been taken to a new position; a sight directed backwards to a station previously occupied. Cf. Foresight, n., 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. Backslid p. p. Backslidden Backslid; p. pr. & vb. n. Backsliding. ] [ Back, adv. + slide. ] To slide back; to fall away; esp. to abandon gradually the faith and practice of a religion that has been professed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who backslides. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Slipping back; falling back into sin or error; sinning. [ 1913 Webster ]

Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord. Jer. iii. 14. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of one who backslides; abandonment of faith or duty. [ 1913 Webster ]

Our backslidings are many. Jer. xiv. 7. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. In typing text, to press the backspace key so as to reposition the carriage or cursor on the previous space. [ PJC ]

n. 1. The key on a typewriter or other keyboard used for back spacing.
Syn. -- backspace key. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. An instrument formerly used for taking the altitude of the heavenly bodies, but now superseded by the quadrant and sextant; -- so called because the observer turned his back to the body observed. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (theater) the area on the stage out of sight of the audience.
Syn. -- wing, wings, offstage. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. concealed from the public; in private.
Syn. -- behind the scenes. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

{ }, a. Private; indirect; secret; conducted with secrecy; intriguing; -- as if finding access by the back stairs; as, backstairs gossip.
Syn. -- clandestine, cloak-and-dagger, hugger-mugger, hush-hush, on the quiet(predicate), secret, subterranean, surreptitious, undercover, underground. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

A backstairs influence. Burke. [ 1913 Webster ]

Female caprice and backstair influence. Trevelyan. [ 1913 Webster ]

. pos>n. Stairs in the back part of a house, as distinguished from the front stairs; a second staircase at the rear of a building; hence, a private or indirect way. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]

n. [ Back, a. or n. + stay. ] 1. (Naut.) A rope or stay extending from the masthead to the side of a ship, slanting a little aft, to assist the shrouds in supporting the mast. [ Often used in the plural. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A rope or strap used to prevent excessive forward motion. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Baxter. ] A baker. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Back, adv. + stitch. ] A stitch made by setting the needle back of the end of the last stitch, and bringing it out in front of the end. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To sew with backstitches; as, to backstitch a seam. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. In baseball, a fence, prop. at least 90 feet behind the home base, to stop the balls that pass the catcher; also, the catcher himself. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

2. In rounders, the player who stands immediately behind the striking base. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

3. In cricket, the longstop; also, the wicket keeper. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. A female baker. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. a swimming stroke that resembles the crawl except the swimmer lies on his or her back. It is usually executed with backward-moving circular arm strokes and a flutter kick. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. aligned from front to back; slanted toward the back; -- used of hair.
Syn. -- sweptback. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

n. any of numerous predaceous aquatic insects of the family Notonectidae (such as Notonecta undulata) that swim on their backs and may inflict painful bites; -- also called boat bug. [ RHUD ] [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]