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# back

noun (the back, backs); adverb; adjective; verb (back, backs, backed, backing)

«back» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. The back is the part that is last or farthest from the front: the back of the line. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#m1)
2. Your back is the part of your body from your neck to your bottom. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#m2)
3. Back as an adverb means to where someone or something was before: «come back», «give it back». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#m3)
4. To back someone is to help or support them; to back up is to move backwards. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#m4)
5. Back means earlier in time: «three years back», «back then». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#m5)
6. In football and rugby a back is a player near your own goal. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#m6)
7. (casual) «Got your back» means I'll protect you; «back in a sec» means I'll return soon. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#m7)
8. (rude) «Back off!», «get off my back!» mean stop bothering me; «talk behind someone's back» is gossip they do not hear. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#m8)
9. (formal) Exams say «return», «reimburse», «refund», «the rear» and «previously». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#m9)

### In the lessons

the end of a line; also returning: «gives N back» moves N back to the one who had them; phrases: «the back of», «at the back», «come back», «give back», «back up», «back and forth», «pay back», «money back»; in casual talk «got ya back», «back in 5», «way back»; in rough talk «back off», «give it back or else», «get off my back»; in the exam voice «returned», «reimbursed», «refunded», «from the rear», «previously»

### Examples

- Anna is the 6th from the front and the 11th from the back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x1)
- Tom stands at the back of the line. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x2)
- Sam gave 2 cards back to Ben. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x3)
- Write your name on the back of the page. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x4)
- Lie on your back and look at the stars. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x5)
- Come back before it gets dark. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x6)
- Dad backed the car out of the garage. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x7)
- back in 5 mins, save me a seat [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x8)
- Give it back or else, that's my 10 bucks! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x9)
- She talks about everyone behind their back. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x10)
- A refund of 4 dollars is subsequently remitted to the purchaser. Determine the net expenditure. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x11)
- Count the 4th seat from the rear of the bus. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x12)
- He went back to his work. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/#x13)

### Note

«the Mth from the back» counts from the end of the line. «gives N back» moves N back to the one who had them. «refund», «reimburse», «return» in an exam give money or things back: the payer's cost goes down. «back in 5» means 5 minutes, a time. Trap: «back» as a body part has no number meaning.

## In Jewish tradition

Interpretation: In the story of Lot's wife, looking back is read as longing for the wicked city she was told to leave. The tradition sees it as a lesson about not clinging to the past. In the primary lessons: the end of a line; also returning: «gives N back» moves N back to the one who had them; phrases: «the back of», «at the back», «come back», «give back», «back up», «back and forth», «pay back», «money back»; in casual talk «got ya back», «back in 5», «way back»; in rough talk «back off», «give it back or else», «get off my back»; in the exam voice «returned», «reimbursed», «refunded», «from the rear», «previously»

### Examples

- But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. (Torah GEN.19.26, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/back/#x1)
- And Abraham said unto him: 'Beware thou that thou bring not my son back thither. (Torah GEN.24.6, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/back/#x2)
- Behold, I am bidden to bless; and when He hath blessed, I cannot call it back. (Torah NUM.23.20, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/back/#x3)
- Wherefore they came back, and told him. (Prophets 2KI.9.36, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/back/#x4)
- The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows. (Writings PSA.129.3, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/back/#x5)
- Judgments are prepared for scorners, and stripes for the back of fools. (Writings PRO.19.29, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/back/#x6)

### Note

«the Mth from the back» counts from the end of the line. «gives N back» moves N back to the one who had them. «refund», «reimburse», «return» in an exam give money or things back: the payer's cost goes down. «back in 5» means 5 minutes, a time. Trap: «back» as a body part has no number meaning.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «back» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/B/back/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«back» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/back.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «back» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/B/back/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«back» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/back.html) on Mova free.