English Dictionary

BACK OFF

Pronunciation (US): Play  (GB): Play

IPA (US): 

 Dictionary entry overview: What does back off mean? 

BACK OFF (verb)
  The verb BACK OFF has 2 senses:

1. move backwards from a certain positionplay

2. remove oneself from an obligationplay

  Familiarity information: BACK OFF used as a verb is rare.


 Dictionary entry details 


BACK OFF (verb)


Sense 1

Meaning:

Move backwards from a certain position

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

back down; back off; back up

Context example:

The bully had to back down

Hypernyms (to "back off" is one way to...):

draw back; move back; pull away; pull back; recede; retire; retreat; withdraw (pull back or move away or backward)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s


Sense 2

Meaning:

Remove oneself from an obligation

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

back down; back off; bow out; chicken out; pull out

Context example:

He bowed out when he heard how much work was involved

Hypernyms (to "back off" is one way to...):

retire; withdraw (lose interest)

Verb group:

get out; pull out (move out or away)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "back off"):

resile (pull out from an agreement, contract, statement, etc.)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP


 Context examples 


This he resented, and when she stood shoulder to shoulder with him, bristling and showing her teeth, the aspiring solitary ones would back off, turn-tail, and continue on their lonely way.

(White Fang, by Jack London)



 Learn English with... Proverbs 
"After dinner sit a while, after supper walk a mile." (English proverb)

"The weather helps him who works." (Albanian proverb)

"Watching what you say is your best friend." (Arabic proverb)

"A horse aged thirty: don't add any more years." (Corsican proverb)



ALSO IN ENGLISH DICTIONARY:


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