back-date /.baek'dert/ verb [VN] 1 to write a date on a cheque or other document that is earlier than the actual date   0

M ) —compare post-date(I) 2 {BrE) to make sth, especially a payment, take effect from an earlier date 0 JFM&Sfc: Postal workers are getting a 5.2% pay rise, backdated to February.

5.2%,

back 'door noun the door at the back or side of a building JfjfJ; H — picture o page R24 IB1BI by/ through the back door in an unfair or indirect way : He used his friends to help him get into the civil service by the back door.

Mo

back-'door adj. [only before noun] using indirect or secret means in order to achieve sth Jg H #J; back-draught (also back-draft) /'baekdrcrft; NAmE -draeft/ noun 1 a current of air that flows backwards down a chimney, pipe, etc. ( ®[£h  ) #1®,

#J 2 an explosion caused by more oxygen being supplied to a fire, for example by a door being opened

back-drop /'baekdrap; NAmE -dra:p/ {BrE also back­cloth) noun 1 a painted piece of cloth that is hung behind the stage in a theatre as part of the scenery (      ) # Jl H 2 everything that can be seen

around an event that is taking place, but which is not part of that event (      The

mountains provided a dramatic backdrop for our picnic. #41 in ft   o note at ENVIRON­

MENT 3 the general conditions in which an event takes place, which sometimes help to explain that event ( ^ iS M ztl #J ) W M:          It was against this backdrop of

racial tension that the civil war began.

back 'end noun (especially BrE) 1 the end of a period or process (        the back end of

last year     2 the part of sth which is behind the

part that you can see ( %}&#J ) f® 3 (informal)

a person’s bottom (= the part they sit on) MIS; 'back-end adj. [only before noun] 1 relating to the end of a period or process ^ ^ (ft ; ££ M (ft 2 (computing if) (of a device or program iS !§• it) not used directly by a user, but used by a program or computer      ,

— compare front-end

back-er /'baek9(r)/ noun a person or company that gives support to sb/sth, especially financial support

m%; mx

back-field /'baekfiild/ noun [sing., U] 1 (in American football H      the area of play behind the line of

scrimmage    M      ) 2 the players

who play in or around this area tp HI PAM back-fill /'baekfil/ verb [VN] to fill a hole with the material that has been dug out of it 0 ^ IS JR

back-fire /.baek'faia^)/ verb [V] 1 ~ (on sb) to have the opposite effect to the one intended, with bad or dangerous results  ) fsWr.

Unfortunately the plan backfired.     itS*J f1 £ 7

Wt&fco 2 (of an engine or a vehicle ‘kifotJl'k 7$S) to make a sudden noise like an explosion yfiX',

|1] X — compare misfire

back-flip /'baekflip/ noun if sb does a backflip, they turn their body over backwards in the air and land on their feet again

'back-formation noun [u, C] (linguistics W) a word formed by removing or changing the beginning or end of a word that already exists. For example, cheeseburger is a back-formation from hamburger. ££ is] ( '$■ B ff

cheeseburger ti hamburger —) back gam mon /'baekgaeman; .baek'gaeman/ noun [U] a game for two people played on a board marked with long thin triangles. Players throw dice and move pieces around the board. tS7M (        M

A)