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back down

back down
B b

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [bak doun]
    • /bæk daʊn/
    • /bæk daʊn/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [bak doun]
    • /bæk daʊn/

Definitions of back down words

  • phrasal verb back down If you back down, you withdraw a claim, demand, or commitment that you made earlier, because other people are strongly opposed to it. 3
  • verb back down to withdraw an earlier claim 3
  • verb back down to cause (a boat) to move backwards by pushing rather than pulling on the oars 3
  • noun back down abandonment of an earlier claim 3
  • noun back down to withdraw from a position or a claim 3
  • noun back down the rear part of the human body, extending from the neck to the lower end of the spine. 1
See all 62 definitions of back down

Information block about the term

Origin of back down

First appearance:

before 1000
One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1000; Middle English bak, Old English bæc back of the body; cognate with Old Frisian bek, Old Saxon, Old Norse bak; perhaps < Indo-European *bhogo- bending; cf. bacon

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Back down

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Full grammatical hierarchy of Back down

back down popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 100% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

back down usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for back down

verb back down

  • balk — If you balk at something, you definitely do not want to do it or to let it happen.
  • renege — Cards. to play a card that is not of the suit led when one can follow suit; break a rule of play.
  • backtrack — If you backtrack on a statement or decision you have made, you do or say something that shows that you no longer agree with it or support it.
  • take back — to get into one's hold or possession by voluntary action: to take a cigarette out of a box; to take a pen and begin to write.
  • cancel — If you cancel something that has been arranged, you stop it from happening. If you cancel an order for goods or services, you tell the person or organization supplying them that you no longer wish to receive them.
All 35 Synonyms of back down

Antonyms for back down

verb back down

  • permit — to allow to do something: Permit me to explain.
  • uphold — to support or defend, as against opposition or criticism: He fought the duel to uphold his family's honor.
  • dispute — to engage in argument or debate.
  • dissent — to differ in sentiment or opinion, especially from the majority; withhold assent; disagree (often followed by from): Two of the justices dissented from the majority decision.
  • refuse — to decline to accept (something offered): to refuse an award.
All 9 Antonyms of back down

See also

Matching words

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