Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary полностью

1 VERB If you backtrack on a statement or decision you have made, you do or say something that shows that you no longer agree with it or support it. □ [V ] The committee backtracked by scrapping the controversial bonus system. □ [V + on ] The finance minister backtracked on his decision. [Also V + from ] ●  back|track|ing N‑UNCOUNT □  He promised there would be no backtracking on policies.

2 VERB If you backtrack , you go back along a path or route you have just used. □ [V ] Leonard jumped in his car and started backtracking. □ [V prep] We had to backtrack to the corner and cross the street.

3 VERB If you backtrack in an account or explanation, you talk about things which happened before the ones you were previously talking about. □ [V ] Can we just backtrack a little bit and look at your primary and secondary education?

back|up /bæ kʌp/ (backups ) also back-up

1 N‑VAR Backup consists of extra equipment, resources, or people that you can get help or support from if necessary. □  There is no emergency back-up immediately available. □  Alternative treatments can provide a useful back-up to conventional treatment.

2 N‑VAR If you have something such as a second piece of equipment or set of plans as backup , you have arranged for them to be available for use in case the first one does not work. □  Every part of the system has a backup. □  Computer users should make regular back-up copies of their work.

back|ward /bæ kwə ^r d/

1 ADJ [ADJ n] A backward movement or look is in the direction that your back is facing. Some people use backwards for this meaning. □  He turned and walked out without a backward glance. □  He did a backward flip.

2 ADJ [ADJ n] If someone takes a backward step, they do something that does not change or improve their situation, but causes them to go back a stage. □  At a certain age, it's not viable for men to take a backward step into unskilled work.

3 ADJ A backward country or society does not have modern industries and machines. □  We need to accelerate the pace of change in our backward country. ●  back|ward|ness N‑UNCOUNT □ [+ of ] I was astonished at the backwardness of our country at the time.

4 ADJ A backward child has difficulty in learning. This use could cause offence. □  I was slow to walk and talk and my parents thought I was backward.

ba ckward-looking also backward looking ADJ If you describe someone or something as backward-looking , you disapprove of their attitudes, ideas, or actions because they are based on old-fashioned opinions or methods. [DISAPPROVAL ] □  …a stagnant, backward-looking culture.

back|wards /bæ kwə ^r dz/ In American English, backward is usually used as an adverb instead of backwards . Backward is also sometimes used in this way in formal British English. 1 ADV [ADV after v] If you move or look backwards , you move or look in the direction that your back is facing. □  The diver flipped over backwards into the water. □  He took two steps backward. □  Bess glanced backwards. □  Keeping your back straight, swing one leg backwards. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Backwards is also an adjective. □  Without so much as a backwards glance, he steered her towards the car.

2 ADV [ADV after v] If you do something backwards , you do it in the opposite way to the usual way. □  He works backwards, building a house from the top downwards.