If you back down, you withdraw a claim, demand, or commitment that you made earlier, because other people are strongly opposed to it.
The United States had no intention of backing down in its bitter row over farm subsidies. [VERBPARTICLE]
It's too late to back down now. [VERBPARTICLE]
He had to back down on plans to backdate the tax changes. [VP + on/over]
See full dictionary entry for back
back down in British English
verb
1. (intr, adverb)
to withdraw an earlier claim
2. (transitive) rowing
to cause (a boat) to move backwards by pushing rather than pulling on the oars
nounbackdown
3.
abandonment of an earlier claim
back down in American English
US
to withdraw from a position or a claim
See full dictionary entry for back
Examples of 'back down' in a sentence
back down
But he backed down after furious critics said transparency was vital to public trust.
The Sun (2015)
How do we get him back down there?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Chinese translation of 'back down'
back down
vi
做出让(讓)步 (zuòchū ràngbù)
See back
Nearby words of
back down
back
back and forth
back away
back down
back off
back onto
back out
All related terms of 'back down'
back up
( support : statement, theory ) 证(證)实(實) zhèngshí ⇒ Her views are backed up by an official report on crime. → 一份官方犯罪报告证实了她的观点。 Yī fèn guānfāng fànzuì bàogào zhèngshíle tā de guāndiǎn.
back out
( withdraw ) 退出 tuìchū
back onto
背靠 bèikào
back off
( draw back ) 退避 tuìbì
back away
向后(後)退 xiàng hòu tuì
(phrasal verb)
Definition
to withdraw an earlier claim
It's too late now to back down.
Synonyms
give in
My parents gave in and let me go to the camp.
collapse
withdraw
yield
She yielded to general pressure.
concede
The government has never conceded that territory to the rebels.
submit
If I submitted to their demands, they would not press the allegations.
surrender
We'll never surrender to the terrorists.
comply
cave in (informal)
capitulate
The club eventually capitulated and granted equal rights to women.