back-ache /'baekeik/ noun [u, C] a continuous pain in the back : [BrE) to have backache/a backache

o (NAME) to have a backache 14 M .back 'alley noun a narrow passage behind or between buildings in#; ^it

.back-¹ alley adj. [only before noun] happening or done secretly, often illegally (’#&■) M'fEE&'fj

M; fTfrmglltt: a back-alley abortion back-beat /'baekbiit/ rjowr? (music #) a strong emphasis on one or two of the beats that are not normally emphasized, used especially in jazz and rock music

.back 'bench noun [usually pi] (in the House of Commons in Britain, and in certain other parliaments) any of the seats for Members of Parliament who do not have senior positions in the government or the other parties ( ^H >'S-PMiX£^ ) Js&iSC $F, # i§$ M : He resigned as Home Secretary and returned to the back benches. SIA T

maUB'&'i&LMJSo o back-bench MPs TISWifiiXfi — compare the front bench back bench er /.baek'bentja^)/ noun (in the British and certain other parliaments) a member who sits in the rows of seats at the back, and who does not have an important position in the government or the opposition (jp —compare frontbencher

backbiting /'baekbaitirj/ noun [U] unpleasant and unkind talk about sb who is not present W/qiff'ffr; ff

JsW

back-board /'baekboid; NAmE -bo:rd/ noun the board behind the basket in the game of basketball ( M

tanmu

back-bone /'baekbaun; NAmE -boun/ noun 1 [C] the row of small bones that are connected together down the middle of the back ; Wft BUI spine — picture o body 2 [sing.] the most important part of a system, an organization, etc. that gives it support and strength #-f-; Hftij: Agriculture forms the backbone of the rural economy. MQ&o 3 [U] the

strength of character that you need to do sth difficult §tfj; He doesn’t have the backbone to face the

truth.

'back-breaking adj. (of physical work very

hard and tiring UEAW

.back- burner verb [VN] (informal, especially NAmE) to leave an idea or a plan for a time, to be done or considered later IE-- MS-H — compare on the back BURNER at BACK adj.

back-channel /'baektjaenl/ noun 1 a secret or unusual way of passing information to other people (

#1 ) 2 (linguistics i# W) a sound or

sign that sb makes to show that they are listening to the person who is talking to them

&m, m, ()

back-chat /'baektjaet/ (BrE) [NAmE 'back talk) noun [U] [informal) a way of answering that shows no respect for sb in authority Ijgigt

back-cloth /'baekklD0; NAmE -kla:0/ noun [BrE) = backdrop

back-comb /'baekkaum; NAmE -koum/ (BrE) [NAmE tease) verb [VN] to comb your hair in the opposite direction to the way it grows so that it looks thicker

)&zm&

.back 'copy noun [BrE) = back issue back-coun-try /'baekkAntri/ noun [u] [NAmE) an area away from roads and towns, especially in the mountains ( lUK^ ) teSifelX

back-court /'baekkait; NAmE -kairt/ noun 1 (in tennis, basketball, etc. Rj , fji^c#) the area at either end of the court fs 2 (in basketball H ^c) the players who form the defence Kf xf (AM 3 (ScotE) an area surrounded by walls but with no roof at the back of a building jfj |S£

back-crawl /'baekkrail/ noun [u, sing.] (BrE) = back- stroke