back- (iou) and nephology (iou)

back- (iou)

back- combining form. [bak] OE.
[Repr. BACK noun1, adjective, adverb, or (occas.) verb.]
In combs. in various relations (often difficult to distinguish) and senses, as 'of or on the back', 'backwards', 'reverse', 'rearmost'. (Many, esp. when back has an adjectival function, can be written with or without a hyphen.)
backache pain or discomfort in the back. back-acter = backhoe below. back-action (orig. US) backward or reverse action, as in a machine. back-along adverb (dial.) = BACK adverb 2, 8. back-and-forth exchange, reciprocity. backband a broad strap or chain passing over a cart-saddle, and serving to support the shafts. backbear Law the act of carrying game killed illegally (cf. BACK-BERAND adjective). back beat a strongly accented beat in a position generally unaccented. back-bench one of the benches in an assembly (esp. the House of Commons) occupied by members not entitled to sit on the front benches. back-bencher a member who occupies a back bench. backblocker Austral., NZ, & Canad. a resident in the backblocks. backblocks Austral., NZ, & Canad. land in the remote and sparsely inhabited interior; land cut off from a river-front. back-blow a blow struck at the back or from behind. back-boiler a boiler behind a domestic fire or Cooking range. back-bond Scots Law a deed qualifying the terms of another that is apparently absolute. back-breaking adjective (fig.) extremely laborious, exhausting. back burner: see on the back burner s.v. BURNER 3. back-cast adjective, noun, & verb (a) adjective cast or thrown backwards; (b) noun a backward swing of a fishing line preparatory to casting; (c) verb intrans. swing a fishing line backwards preparatory to casting. back catalogue the totality of all the works previously produced by a recording artist, Film director, record company, etc. back channel (a) Canad. a secondary channel of a stream or river, esp. one forming an island; (b) Politics a means of conveying information without passing it through normal (esp. diplomatic) channels (freq. attrib. or as adjective); (c) Linguistics any of various means, as nods, grunts, etc., by which a listener may indicate attention to a speaker and thereby invite continued speech. backchat colloq. impertinent or impudent repartee, esp. to a superior. backcomb verb trans. & intrans. comb (the hair) back towards the scalp. back country (chiefly N. Amer., Austral., & NZ) the country lying towards or in the rear of a settled district. back-court a smaller court to the rear of a house; Tennis the part of the court behind the service line. back-crawl Swimming a form of crawl in which the swimmer lies on his or her back. back cross verb & noun phr. (a) verb trans. cross (a first-generation hybrid) with one of its parent strains; (b) noun an instance of back crossing, a hybrid so produced. backdate verb trans. assign an earlier date to, make retrospectively valid. back door (a) a door at the back of a building or enclosure; a secondary or private entrance; (b) fig. a second (usu. secret or less conspicuous) means of entry or approach. back-door adjective secret, clandestine, underhand. back-double colloq. & dial. a backstreet, a side road. back-draught (a) a reverse draught of air or current of water; (b) (freq. backdraft) the explosion of a build-up of hot flammable gases produced by incomplete combustion in a confined space, as a result of a sudden influx of oxygen. backdrop noun & verb (a) noun (Theatrical) (orig. US) = BACKCLOTH 1; (b) verb trans. (fig.) provide with a background, set off. back emf an electromotive force opposing that driving the current in a circuit. back-end (a) the hinder of two ends; (b) the later part of the year, late autumn; (c) the latter stages or outcome of a process, esp. in relation to financial matters such as the profits of a Film; (d) Computing a specialized part of a computer system with which the user does not interact directly; spec. (attrib.) designating the interface between a database and the interactive programs used to query that database; back-fanged adjective (Zoology) = OPISTHOGLYPH adjective. backfield Amer. Football (the positions occupied by) the players behind the line of scrimmage. backfill verb & noun (a) verb trans. fill (an excavation) in again with material removed earlier, e.g. around foundations; (b) noun earth etc. used for backfilling. backfist Karate a punch using the back of the fist. backfit verb trans. fit (an advanced component) to an older product; upgrade (an older product) in this way. back-flash the act or process of flashing back; esp. = flashback (b) s.v. FLASH verb. backflip a backward somersault. back-formation Philology the formation of what looks like a root-word from an already existing word which might be (but is not) a derivative of the former; a word so formed. back-front the rear boundary line or elevation of a building. backhaul (a) the return journey of a vehicle from its original destination to its base; a load carried on such a journey; (b) Broadcasting the satellite signal of an event recorded by a Television channel, Radio station, etc., as it is returned for editing. back-heel (a) verb trans. kick (esp. a ball) backwards with the heel; (b) noun such a kick. backhoe N. Amer. a mechanical excavator which operates by drawing towards itself a bucket attached to a hinged boom. back-house (now dial.) an outhouse; a privy, a lavatory. back issue an edition of a journal, magazine, etc., earlier than the current one. backland = back country above. back-lift (in various Games) a backward lift given to the bat etc. before playing a stroke, or to the leg before kicking the ball. back-lighting Photography lighting coming from behind the subject. back-line (a) a rearmost line; esp. in Games, a line marking the limit of play; (b) Rugby Football the players behind a scrum or line-out lined out across the field. back-liner Rugby Football a player in the back-line. backlist (a catalogue of) books still available but no longer recent. backlit adjective illuminated from behind. backlot (orig. US) an outdoor area in a Film studio where large exterior sets are made and some outside scenes are filmed. back-marker one who starts from scratch or has the least favourable handicap in a race; a horse etc. at the rear of the field. back number a number of a periodical earlier than the current one; colloq. a person who or a thing which is out of date, behind the times, or useless. backpack noun & verb (chiefly N. Amer.) (a) noun a pack carried on the back, esp. a rucksack; (b) verb intrans. & trans. Travel with a backpack, esp. for recreation; carry in a backpack. backpacker a hiker, camper, etc., with a backpack. back pass Football a deliberate pass to one's own goalkeeper (who is not now allowed to pick up the ball if the pass was kicked). back passage colloq. the rectum. back-pay pay to cover a past period of time. back-payment payment to cover a past period of time. back-pedal verb intrans. work the pedals of a bicycle backwards; fig. (try to) reverse one's previous action. backpiece a piece of armour protecting the back; the piece that forms the back of something. backplane a board to which the main circuit boards of a computer may be fitted, and which provides connections between them. backplate a plate of armour for the back; a plate placed at or forming the back of something. back-pressure pressure opposing the normal flow of a liquid or gas. back-projection projection on to a translucent screen from the rear, as a means of providing a still or moving background to a scene etc. backrest a support for the back. back room a room at the back of a house or Other building; spec. a room or premises where (esp. secret) research etc. is carried out; backroom boy, a person who does such research or wields influence behind the scenes. back-rope Nautical a rope leading inboard from the martingale. back row the rear line (of a chorus, rugby scrum, etc.). back-saw a saw with a blade strengthened by a metal strip at the rear. back-scatter verb & noun (Physics) (a) verb trans. scatter (radiation etc.) with more or less complete reversal of direction; (b) noun back-scattering; radiation etc. so scattered. back-scratcher an implement for scratching one's own back; fig. a person who takes part in mutual Services for gain. back-scratching the performance of such Services. back-set a setting back, a reverse; an eddy or counter-current. backsight (a) Surveying a sight or reading taken backwards, or towards the point of starting; (b) the rearsight of a gun. back slang a form of slang in which words are spelt and pronounced backwards (as yob for boy). backslapper fig. a vigorously hearty person. backslapping slapping the back, esp. in congratulation or encouragement; fig. vigorously hearty behaviour. backslash a backward-sloping diagonal line, a reverse solidus. back-space verb intrans. use the back-spacer. back-spacer a key on a typewriter etc. that moves the printing position one space backward. back-spin a backward spin on a ball in motion. back-stabber fig. a person who attacks another unfairly, or behind his or her back. back stage Theatrical the rear part of a stage; the part of a theatre behind the stage or curtain, esp. the wings, dressing-rooms, etc. backstage adverb & adjective at or to the back stage of a theatre; (situated, occurring, etc.) behind the scenes (lit. & fig.). backstair(s) noun & adjective (a) noun stairs at the back of a house, a secondary staircase; the private stairs in a palace, used for Other than State visitors; fig. a secret method of approach; (b) adjective relating to or employing underhand intrigue, back-door. backstay Nautical each of a number of ropes extending downwards and aft from the top of the mast towards the stern of the ship (usu. in pl.); gen. a stay or support at the back (lit. & fig.). backstitch noun & verb (a) noun a method of Sewing with overlapping stitches; (b) verb trans. & intrans. sew in backstitch. back-stop noun & verb (a) noun something or someone placed at the rear to serve as a barrier or support; Cricket = longstop s.v. LONG adjective1; (b) verb trans. (chiefly US) act as a back-stop to (chiefly fig.). back-straight the stretch along the side of a racecourse or racetrack opposite to that on which the races end. backstreet noun & adjective (a) noun a street in a quiet part of a town etc., away from the main streets; (b) adjective taking place in a backstreet, taking place illicitly or illegally. backstroke a blow or stroke in return; a back-handed stroke; Swimming a stroke in which the swimmer lies on his or her back in the water. backswimmer a carnivorous aquatic bug of the family Notonectidae, a water-boatman. back-swing a backward swing, esp. of the arm or a Golf club when about to hit a ball. back-talk colloq. (orig. dial.) = backchat above. backtrack verb (orig. US) (a) verb intrans. return, retrace one's steps; fig. go back on, withdraw; (b) verb trans. trace, pursue, investigate. backtracker a person who backtracks. backveld S. Afr. primitive rural districts. backvelder S. Afr. (freq. derog.) a dweller in the backveld. backwater dammed or still water, esp. that beside a stream and fed by the back flow; fig. a remote or neglected place, (a place or condition of) intellectual stagnation. back-way a way leading to the back, a roundabout way. backwind verb & noun (Sailing) (a) verb trans. (of a sail or vessel) deflect a flow of air into the back of (another); (b) noun a flow of air deflected into the back of a sail. back-winter a return of winter after its regular time. backwoods wholly or partly uncleared forest; a remote or sparsely inhabited region. backwoodsman an inhabitant of the backwoods; fig. an uncouth person; a peer who very rarely attends the House of Lords. back-word dial. withdrawal from a promise or invitation; a contradictory or rude answer. backyard a yard or enclosure at the back of a building; fig. an adjacent or easily accessible area.

nephology (iou)

nephology noun. L19.
[from Greek nephos cloud + -LOGY.]
The branch of science that deals with clouds.
nephologist noun L19.

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