backwards
(redirected from bending over backwards)Also found in: Thesaurus, Idioms.
back·ward
(băk′wərd)adj.
1. Directed or facing toward the back or rear.
2. Done or arranged in a manner or order that is opposite to previous occurrence or normal use.
3. Unwilling to act; reluctant; shy.
4. Behind others in progress or development: The technology was backward, but the system worked.
adv. or back·wards (-wərdz)
1. To or toward the back or rear.
2. With the back leading.
3. In a reverse manner or order.
4. To, toward, or into the past.
5. Toward a worse or less advanced condition.
back′ward·ly adv.
back′ward·ness n.
Usage Note: Most American English dictionaries list -wards as a spelling variant of the directional suffix -ward. Accordingly, two variants are provided for most of the adverbs that end with this suffix: backward/backwards, toward/towards, upward/upwards, and so on. Although both variants are considered acceptable, the -ward suffix is more common in American English, whereas the -wards suffix is more common in British English. This distinction is more prominent in edited prose than in casual writing or speech, possibly because many American copyeditors follow style manuals that recommend or prescribe the -ward variant. Despite this dialectal differentiation, there remains significant variation in usage among individuals and even among the different -ward words themselves. This variation is evident in the results from our 2012 usage survey: backwards and towards were deemed acceptable by 72 percent and 69 percent of Panelists, respectively, but only 38 percent found forwards to be acceptable. Note that for those -ward words that also function as adjectives, the form without the s is standard: a backward look; a westward journey.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
backwards
(ˈbækwədz) orbackward
adv
1. towards the rear
2. with the back foremost
3. in the reverse of usual order or direction
4. to or towards the past
5. into a worse state: the patient was slipping backwards.
6. towards the point of origin
7. bend over backwards lean over backwards fall over backwards informal to make a special effort, esp in order to please
8. know backwards informal to understand completely
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
backwards
1. 'backwards'
If you move or look backwards, you move or look in the direction your back is facing.
The hummingbird can fly backwards.
He overbalanced and stepped backwards onto a coffee cup.
Lucille looked backwards at the once-lovely site where her great-great-grandparents' graves had lain.
If you do something backwards, you do it the opposite way to the usual way.
Listen to the tape backwards.
2. 'backward'
Speakers of American English sometimes say backward instead of 'backwards'.
The snout hit Hooper in the chest and knocked him backward.
In both British and American English, backward is an adjective. A backward movement or look is one in which someone or something moves or looks backwards.
She took a backward step.
Without a backward glance, he walked away.
When backward is an adjective, it can only be used in front of a noun.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Adv. | 1. |  backwards - at or to or toward the back or rear; "he moved back"; "tripped when he stepped backward"; "she looked rearward out the window of the car" |
| 2. |  backwards - 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'"; "the child put her jersey on backward" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
backwards
backwardadverb
1. towards the rear, behind you, in reverse, rearwards Bess glanced backwards.
2. in reverse order, back to front, in the opposite way from usual He works backwards, building a house from the top downwards.
3. to the past, back unshakable traditions that look backward rather than ahead
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
backwards
adverbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
إلى الخَلْف، باتِّجاهٍ عَكْسيإِلى الوَرَاءإلى الوَراءإلى الوَرَاءبِطَريقَةٍ عَكْسِيَّةٍ
dozadupozpátkuzpět
baglænsbagudtilbage
peegelpiltsaamatutagasisuunastagurpiditahapoole
kelvotontaaksepäintakaperinvanhanaikainen
naopakounatraške
háttalvisszafelé
aftur , til bakaaftur á bak
al contrarioall’indietroindietro
反対に後方に
뒤로뒤쪽으로
nazadpospiatkyspätne
baklänges
ไปข้างหลัง ย้อนหลังถอยหลัง
arkayageri gerigeriyegeriye doğruters
ngược lạivề phía sau
backwards
[ˈbækwərdz] adv (= towards the back) [move, go] → en arrière; [walk] → à reculons; [look] → en arrière; [brush, comb] → à rebours
to take a step backwards → faire un pas en arrière
to fall backwards → tomber à la renverse
to move backwards and forwards → faire des allées et venues
people travelling backwards and forwards to and from London
BUT les gens qui font la navette pour aller à Londres.
to take a step backwards → faire un pas en arrière
to fall backwards → tomber à la renverse
to move backwards and forwards → faire des allées et venues
people travelling backwards and forwards to and from London
BUT les gens qui font la navette pour aller à Londres.
(= in reverse order) [read a list] → à l'envers; [count] → à l'envers
to know sth backwards, to know sth backwards and forwards (US) (= thoroughly) → connaître qch sur le bout des doigts
to know sth backwards, to know sth backwards and forwards (US) (= thoroughly) → connaître qch sur le bout des doigts
(in time) → en arrière, vers le passé
to look backwards to the past → regarder en arrière vers le passé
to look backwards to the past → regarder en arrière vers le passé
(fig) a step backwards → un pas en arrièrebackward somersault n → salto m arrière
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
backwards
adv
→ rückwärts; to fall backwards → nach hinten fallen; to walk backwards and forwards → hin und her gehen; to stroke a cat backwards → eine Katze gegen den Strich streicheln; to lean or bend over backwards to do something (inf) → sich fast umbringen or sich (dat) → ein Bein ausreißen, um etw zu tun (inf); I know it backwards (Brit) or backwards and forwards (US) → das kenne ich in- und auswendig
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
backwards
[ˈbækwədz] back£ward (Am) [ˈbækwəd] adv → indietroto walk backwards → camminare all'indietro
backwards and forwards → avanti e indietro
to bend over backwards to do sth (fam) → farsi in quattro per fare qc
to know sth backwards (fam) → sapere qc a menadito
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
backward
(ˈbӕkwəd) adjective1. aimed or directed backwards. He left without a backward glance.
2. less advanced in mind or body than is normal for one's age. a backward child.
3. late in developing a modern culture, mechanization etc. That part of Britain is still very backward; the backward peoples of the world.
ˈbackwardness nounˈbackwards adverb
1. towards the back. He glanced backwards.
2. with one's back facing the direction one is going in. The child walked backwards into a lamp-post.
3. in the opposite way to that which is usual. Can you count from 1 to 10 backwards? (= starting at 10 and counting to 1).
backwards and forwards in one direction and then in the opposite direction. The dog ran backwards and forwards across the grass.
bend/fall over backwards to try very hard. He bent over backwards to get us tickets for the concert.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
backwards
→ إِلى الوَرَاء, إلى الوَرَاء dozadu, pozpátku baglæns rücklings, rückwärts ανάποδα, προς τα πίσω al revés, hacia atrás, revés takaperin en arrière naopako, unatraške al contrario, all’indietro 反対に, 後方に 뒤로, 뒤쪽으로 achterstevoren, achteruit baklengs na odwrót, wstecz ao contrário, para trás назад, наоборот baklänges ไปข้างหลัง ย้อนหลัง, ถอยหลัง geriye doğru, ters ngược lại, về phía sau 向后, 相反地Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009