Back step

(Mil.) the retrograde movement of a man or body of men, without changing front.
etc. See under Back, Half, etc.

See also: Back, Step

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, published 1913 by G. & C. Merriam Co.
References in classic literature ?
He used the key to the kitchen door, coming and going by the back steps. To Saxon he barely said how-do-you-do or good day; and, sleeping in the day time and working at night, he was in the house a week before Billy laid eyes on him.
"Unfortunately the day to day running of the club takes a lot of our time, so it does mean that some things take a back step despite us not wanting them too" Meanwhile, the Bucks will now head to Mickleover Sports for a pre-season friendly tomorrow instead of Ilkeston Town.
In accordance with the reports of media the Sindh cabinet was going to endorse a provincial government proposal to change the basic demography of Karachi by dividing it from existing six districts into nine districts and create posts of two mayors to conduct the rural and urban municipal system but PPP has taken back step in this regard.
One change he has worked on is in his run-up, losing the idiosyncratic 'back step' and adding a few paces to his approach.
"Adam (Lallana) trained with the team, not the full session, but will now come back step by step.
He had previously been rapped after he was caught siting on a building's back step mumbling to himself.
Given that Russia also claims that its surveillance shows that the US-backed Syrian democratic forces (SDF) are 'avoiding a fight with IS militants' and that the IS militants are in communication with the US ground and air forces for target indication and acquisition a military mind may be forced to ask: are there any military, political or geopolitical goals that are forcing the US to take a back step and do the opposite for the time being.
DEBKAfile reported Wednesday: Binyamin Netanyahu's government is being forced back step by step on the Temple Mount standoff by a three-line siege imposed by the Palestinians, Sunni Arab governments, including Jordan, and public opinion at home.
On reaching the back door, however, he discovered that there wasn't one cat on the back step, but two: The second being a mere kitten, a few days old.
"Speedway isn't taking a back step at all, unfortunately though, I can't earn enough money to survive and look after my family just by racing in one league.
It was a big back step before we had even got going.