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back up

back up
B b

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [bak uhp]
    • /bæk ʌp/
    • /bæk ʌp/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [bak uhp]
    • /bæk ʌp/

Definitions of back up words

  • phrasal verb back up If someone or something backs up a statement, they supply evidence to suggest that it is true. 3
  • phrasal verb back up If you back up a computer file, you make a copy of it which you can use if the original file is damaged or lost. 3
  • phrasal verb back up If an idea or intention is backed up by action, action is taken to support or confirm it. 3
  • phrasal verb back up If you back someone up, you show your support for them. 3
  • phrasal verb back up If you back someone up, you help them by confirming that what they are saying is true. 3
  • phrasal verb back up If you back up, the car or other vehicle that you are driving moves back a short distance. 3

Information block about the term

Origin of back up

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 up

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

back up 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 up usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for back up

verb back up

  • fall back — to drop or descend under the force of gravity, as to a lower place through loss or lack of support.
  • retreat — the forced or strategic withdrawal of an army or an armed force before an enemy, or the withdrawing of a naval force from action.
  • abandon — If you abandon a place, thing, or person, you leave the place, thing, or person permanently or for a long time, especially when you should not do so.
  • withdraw — to draw back, away, or aside; take back; remove: She withdrew her hand from his. He withdrew his savings from the bank.
  • advance — To advance means to move forward, often in order to attack someone.

Antonyms for back up

verb back up

  • forge — to form by heating and hammering; beat into shape.
  • continue — If someone or something continues to do something, they keep doing it and do not stop.
  • defend — If you defend someone or something, you take action in order to protect them.
  • pursue — to strive to gain; seek to attain or accomplish (an end, object, purpose, etc.).

See also

Matching words

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