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 rear share a recorded sense, so the question is not what they mean but which one fits. back means “be behind; approve of”. rear means “the back of a military formation or procession”. 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”
/ˈɹɪɹ/
1.n.the back of a military formation or procession
“infantrymen were in the rear”
2.n.the side of an object that is opposite its front
“his room was toward the rear of the hotel”
3.n.the part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer
“he stood at the back of the stage”
| back | rear | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈbæk/ | /ˈɹɪɹ/ |
| Said | bak | rir |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 4 |
| Parts of speech | verb, noun, adverb, adjective | noun, verb, adjective |
| Senses | 28 | 11 |
| How common | Core | Common |
| Synonyms | endorse, indorse, plump for | none recorded |
Full entry for back · Full entry for rear · More comparisons