back
/ˈbæk/
verbnounadverbadjective
Core
1.v.be behind; approve of
“He plumped for the Labor Party”
2.v.travel backward
“back into the driveway”
3.v.give support or one's approval to
“I'll second that motion”
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back and backwards share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. back means “be behind; approve of”. backwards means “at or to or toward the back or rear”. back is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈbæk/
1.v.be behind; approve of
“He plumped for the Labor Party”
2.v.travel backward
“back into the driveway”
3.v.give support or one's approval to
“I'll second that motion”
/ˈbækwɚdz/
1.adv.at or to or toward the back or rear
“he moved back”
2.adv.in a manner or order or direction the reverse of normal
“it's easy to get the `i' and the `e' backward in words like `seize' and `siege'”
| back | backwards | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbæk/ | /ˈbækwɚdz/ |
| Said | bak | BA-kwurdz |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Letters | 4 | 9 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun, adverb, adjective | adverb |
| Senses | 28 | 2 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | endorse, indorse, plump for | back, backward, rearward |
Full entry for back · Full entry for backwards · More comparisons