backspacen.
/ˈbakspeɪs/, U.S. /ˈbækˌspeɪs/ A key on a typewriter used to cause the carriage to move one position backwards or on a computer keyboard to cause the cursor to move to and delete the previous character or space, originally (and still commonly) in order to correct a typing error. Later also: the result of pressing such a key; an instance of backspacing.Earliest as a modifier, esp. in backspace key.
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society > communication > printing > typing > typewriter > [noun] > set of keys > specific keys
shift-key1893
backspace key1899
backspacer1901
home key1910
margin-release key1913
shift1919
backspace1944
1899 Daily Tel. (Atlantic, Iowa) 23 Mar. The 1899 model of the Hammond typewriter has a ‘back space’ attachment... If the operator misses a letter or strikes the wrong key, all he has to do is to give the ‘back space’ key a stroke and the machine registers at the same point as when the misstroke was made.
1901 Michigan Alumnus Mar. (Advt. section) The Densmore typewriter... Two new models for 1901... What it has that is new... Back-space key—For corrections, etc.
1944 Techn. Man: Speech Recorder MC-502 (U.S. War Dept.) iv. 132/1 Operate the reproducer carriage control lever..twice in succession to obtain two backspaces.
1990 J. Gosling Easily into WordPerfect 5 i. 19 You press backspace to delete the character to the left of the cursor.
2011 I. Quartiroli Digitally Divided Self vii. 97 So if we press the backspace to correct our typing, this too will be sent along [sc. to Google].
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2021; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
backspacev.
/ˈbakspeɪs/, /ˌbakˈspeɪs/, U.S. /ˈbækˌspeɪs/ intransitive. To press or use a backspace key; to cause the carriage (on a typewriter) to move back one space or the cursor (on a computer keyboard) to move to (and delete) the previous character or space, originally esp. in order to correct a typing error.
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society > communication > printing > typing > type [verb (intransitive)] > back-space
backspace1919
1919 B. De Bear Typewriting A to Z xix. 39 Back-space once for every character and space in the title to be centred.
1966 Proc. AFIPS Conf. 28 266/1 Backspacing over incorrect keystrokes and the correct strokes.
2005 Macworld (U.K. ed.) June 82/3 It's an annoyance if you type the wrong character and have to backspace.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2021; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1899v.1919