backward

adjective

/ˈbækwəd/

/ˈbækwərd/

jump to other results

[only before noun] directed or moving towards the back
- She strode past him without a backward glance.
moving in a direction that means that no progress is being made synonym retrograde
- She felt that going back to live in her home town would be a backward step.
having made less progress than normal; developing slowly
- a backward part of the country, with no paved roads and no electricity
- a backward child
- (British English, informal) She's not backward in coming forward (= she's not shy).
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
verbs
- be
- seem
adverb
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
See full entry

compare forward

Word OriginMiddle English: from earlier abackward, from aback.

backward

adverb

/ˈbækwəd/

/ˈbækwərd/

(especially North American English)

(also backwards British and North American English)

Idioms

jump to other results

towards a place or position that is behind
- I lost my balance and fell backward.
- He took a step backward.
- I stumbled backward and fell.
opposite forward (1)
in the opposite direction to the usual one
- In the movie they take a journey backward through time.
- ‘Evil’ spelled backward is ‘live’.
- I felt as though time had stopped and clocks had gone backward.
towards a worse state
- I felt that going to live with my parents would be a step backward.
opposite forward (3)
(North American English)
(British English back to front)
if you put on a piece of clothing backward, you make a mistake and put the back where the front should be

Word OriginMiddle English: from earlier abackward, from aback.

Idioms

backward and forward

from one place or position to another and back again many times
- She rocked backward and forward on her chair.
- The film skips backward and forward through time.

bend/lean over backward (to do something)

to make a great effort, especially in order to be helpful or fair
- I've bent over backward to help him.

know somebody/something backwards

(informal, especially British English) to know somebody/something extremely well
- She must know the play backward by now.

单词	backward
释义	backward adjective /ˈbækwəd/ /ˈbækwərd/ jump to other results [only before noun] directed or moving towards the back She strode past him without a backward glance. moving in a direction that means that no progress is being made synonym retrograde She felt that going back to live in her home town would be a backward step. having made less progress than normal; developing slowly a backward part of the country, with no paved roads and no electricity a backward child (British English, informal) She's not backward in coming forward (= she's not shy). Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs be seem adverb extremely fairly very … See full entry compare forward Word OriginMiddle English: from earlier abackward, from aback. backward adverb /ˈbækwəd/ /ˈbækwərd/ (especially North American English) (also backwards British and North American English) Idioms jump to other results towards a place or position that is behind I lost my balance and fell backward. He took a step backward. I stumbled backward and fell. opposite forward (1) in the opposite direction to the usual one In the movie they take a journey backward through time. ‘Evil’ spelled backward is ‘live’. I felt as though time had stopped and clocks had gone backward. towards a worse state I felt that going to live with my parents would be a step backward. opposite forward (3) (North American English) (British English back to front) if you put on a piece of clothing backward, you make a mistake and put the back where the front should be Word OriginMiddle English: from earlier abackward, from aback. Idioms backward and forward from one place or position to another and back again many times She rocked backward and forward on her chair. The film skips backward and forward through time. bend/lean over backward (to do something) to make a great effort, especially in order to be helpful or fair I've bent over backward to help him. know somebody/something backwards (informal, especially British English) to know somebody/something extremely well She must know the play backward by now.
随便看	supplementary-angle supplementation suppleness suppletion suppletive Supplex™ supplicant supplication supplier supply supply_1 supply and demand supply-and-demand supply chain supply-chain supply line supply management supply-side supply teacher support support_1 support_2 supporter support group supporting