back down
Britishverb
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(intr, adverb) to withdraw an earlier claim
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(tr) rowing to cause (a boat) to move backwards by pushing rather than pulling on the oars
noun
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Reverse one's upward course, descend. For example, When she saw the wasps' nest on the roof, she hastily backed down the ladder . This literal usage usually refers to something one has climbed, such as a ladder or mountain. [Mid-1800s]
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Also, back off . Retreat or yield. For example, As the watchdog began to snarl the letter carrier backed off , or You have a good point; now don't back down when you present it to the board . [First half of 1900s] Also see back away , def. 2.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
After a famous win in their debut Super League fixture, York were brought back down to earth with a 46-14 drubbing by Leeds last weekend.
From BBC
Sentiment around the sector remains on a hair trigger, and it won’t take much to knock it back down, like a fictional Substack post on Monday that sent the software ETF down 4.8%.
From Barron's
"The tiles and the bathroom roof were literally lifting up and slamming back down - it was just so quick".
From BBC
The voice inside Duane was trying to get his attention, trying to tell him to stop and insist that they go back down.
From Literature
We played tug of war for a few seconds, then he turned his end loose and ran back down the trail a little ways.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
