the traffic is backing up for miles

back [bæk]

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1. noun

2. adjective

3. adverb

4. transitive verb

5. intransitive verb

6. compounds

7. Phrasal Verbs

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1. noun

   a. [of person, animal] dos m

• I've got a bad back j'ai des problèmes de dos

• to carry sth on one's back porter qch sur son dos

• to stand or sit with one's back to sb/sth tourner le dos à qn/qch

• back to back dos à dos

• to be on one's back (inf) ( = be ill) être alité

• behind sb's back derrière le dos de qn

• as soon as his back is turned dès qu'il a le dos tourné

• I was glad to see the back of him (inf) j'étais content de le voir partir

• to have one's back to the wall être adossé au mur ; (figurative) être le dos au mur

► to be on sb's back (inf) être sur le dos de qn

• my boss is always on my back j'ai sans arrêt mon patron sur le dos► to get off sb's back (inf) laisser qn tranquille

• get off my back, will you? fiche-moi la paix !► to get sb's back up hérisser qn

• that's what gets my back up c'est ce qui me hérisse► to put one's back into sth mettre toute son énergie dans qch

• put your back into it! (inf) allons, un peu de nerf ! (inf)► to turn one's back on sb/sth

• you can't just turn your back on your parents tu ne peux quand même pas tourner le dos à tes parents

• he turned his back on the past il a tourné la page► on the back of ( = by means of) en profitant de

   b. [of object] dos m ; [of chair] dossier m ; [of building] arrière m

► at the back [of building] derrière ; [of book] à la fin ; [of cupboard, hall] au fond

• at the very back tout au fond► at the back of [+ building] derrière ; [+ book] à la fin de ; [+ cupboard, hall] au fond de

• he's at the back of all this trouble c'est lui qui est derrière tous ces problèmes► in back (US) [of building, car] à l'arrière

► in back of (US) [+ building, car] à l'arrière de

► in the back [of car] à l'arrière

• to sit in the back of the car être assis à l'arrière► out or round the back (inf) (British) derrière

► back to front devant derrière

• you've got it on back to front tu l'as mis devant derrière

   c. (of part of body) [of head] derrière m ; [of hand] dos m

• the back of one's neck la nuque

• I know Paris like the back of my hand je connais Paris comme ma poche

   d. (Football, hockey) arrière m

2. adjective

   a. ( = not front) [wheel] arrière inv

• the back room [of house] la pièce du fond ; [of pub, restaurant] l'arrière-salle f

• back legs pattes fpl de derrière

   b. [taxes] arriéré

3. adverb

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► When back is an element in a phrasal verb, eg come back, put back, look up the verb.

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   a. (in space, time) (stand) back! reculez !

• stay well back! n'approchez pas !

• a week back (inf) il y a une semaine

• as far back as 1800 dès 1800

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► When followed by a preposition, back is often not translated.

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• meanwhile, back in London... pendant ce temps-là, à Londres...

• it all started back in 1990 tout a commencé en 1990

• he little suspected how worried they were back at home il était loin de se douter que sa famille s'inquiétait autant

► to go back and forth, to go back and forward [person] faire des allées et venues ; [phone calls, emails, letters] être échangé

   b. ( = returned)

► to be back [person] être rentré

• Mike is not back yet Mike n'est pas encore rentré

• I'll be back at six je serai de retour à six heures

• as soon as I'm back dès que je serai rentré

• Catherine is now back at work Catherine a repris le travail

• the electricity is back l'électricité est revenue

• everything's back to normal tout est rentré dans l'ordre► ... and back

• he went to Paris and back il a fait le voyage de Paris aller et retour

• the journey there and back le trajet aller et retour

• you can go there and back in a day tu peux faire l'aller et retour en une journée

   c. ( = reimbursed) I got/want my money back j'ai récupéré/je veux récupérer mon argent

4. transitive verb

   a. ( = support) soutenir ; [+ statement] confirmer

   b. ( = finance) financer

   c. ( = bet on) parier sur

• I'm backing Leeds to win je parie que Leeds va gagner

• to back the wrong horse miser sur le mauvais cheval

• to back a loser (figurative) miser sur le mauvais cheval

   d. [+ vehicle] reculer

• to back the car in/out entrer/sortir en marche arrière

5. intransitive verb

( = move backwards) reculer

• to back out [vehicle] sortir en marche arrière ; [person] sortir à reculons

6. compounds

► back alley noun ruelle f

► back benches plural noun (British) bancs mpl des députés de base

► back-breaking adjective éreintant

► back burner noun

• to put sth on the back burner mettre qch en veilleuse ► back catalogue noun fonds m de catalogue

► the back country noun (US) la campagne profonde

► back door noun porte f de derrière

• to do sth by or through the back door faire qch par des moyens détournés ► back line noun (Sport) ligne f d'arrières

► back-line player noun (US Sport) arrière m

► back-lit adjective [stage] éclairé de derrière or par l'arrière ; [screen] rétro-éclairé

► back number noun [of newspaper] vieux numéro m

• to be a back number [person] ne plus être dans le coup (inf) ► back-pack noun sac m à dos

► back-packer noun routard (e) m(f)

► back-packing noun

• to go back-packing voyager sac au dos ► back pain noun mal m de dos

► back pay noun rappel m de salaire

► back-pedal intransitive verb ( = retreat) faire marche arrière

► back road noun petite route f de campagne

► back seat noun siège m arrière

• in the back seat sur le siège arrière

• to take a back seat (to sth) (inf) passer au second plan (par rapport à qch) ► back-seat driver noun

• he's a back-seat driver il est toujours à donner des conseils au conducteur ► back street noun ruelle f

• he grew up in the back streets of Leeds il a grandi dans les quartiers pauvres de Leeds ► back-to-back adjective dos à dos

• a row of back-to-back houses (British) une rangée de maisons adossées les unes aux autres adverb• they showed two episodes back-to-back ils ont passé deux épisodes à la suite ► back tooth noun (plural back teeth) molaire f

7. Phrasal Verbs

► back away intransitive verb (se) reculer

• to back away from [+ problem] prendre ses distances par rapport à► back down intransitive verb revenir sur sa position

► back off intransitive verb

( = draw back) reculer

► back on to inseparable transitive verb

[house]

the house backs on to the golf course l'arrière de la maison donne sur le terrain de golf► back out

1. intransitive verb

[person] sortir à reculons ; [car] sortir en marche arrière ; (of undertaking) revenir sur ses engagements

2. separable transitive verb

[+ vehicle] sortir en marche arrière► back out of inseparable transitive verb

[+ deal, agreement] se retirer de ; [+ undertaking] se soustraire à

► back up

1. intransitive verb

   a. ( = reverse) faire marche arrière

   b. ( = queue) the traffic is backing up for miles il y a des kilomètres de bouchon

2. separable transitive verb

   a. [+ theory, claim] confirmer ; [+ person] soutenir

   b. [+ vehicle] faire reculer

   c. [+ computer file] faire une copie de sauvegarde de

* * *

1) Anatomy, Zoology dos m

2) ( reverse side) (of page, cheque, hand, fork, envelope) dos m; ( of fabric) envers m; (of medal, coin) revers m

3) ( rear-facing part) (of vehicle, head) arrière m; ( of electrical appliance) face f arrière; (of shirt, coat) dos m; (of chair, sofa) dossier m

4) ( area behind building)

5) (of car, plane) arrière m

6) (of cupboard, drawer, fridge, bus, stage) fond m

7) Sport arrière m

8) ( end) fin f

1) ( at the rear) [leg, paw, edge, wheel] arrière; [bedroom] du fond; [page] dernier/-ière (before n); [garden, gate] de derrière

2) ( isolated) [road] petit (before n)

3) Finance, Commerce

1) ( after absence)

2) ( in return)

3) ( backwards) [glance, jump, step, lean] en arrière

4) ( away)

5) ( ago)

6) ( a long time ago)

7) ( once again)

8) ( expressing a return to a former location)

9) ( in a different location)

back and forth adverbial phrase

transitive verb

1) ( support) soutenir [party, person, bid, bill, strike, action]; appuyer [application]; apporter son soutien à [enterprise, project]

2) ( finance) financer [project, undertaking]

3) ( endorse) garantir [currency]

4) ( substantiate) justifier [argument, claim] ( with à l'aide de)

5) ( reverse)

6) ( bet on) parier sur [horse, favourite, winner]

7) (stiffen, line) consolider, renforcer [structure]; endosser [book]; renforcer [map]; maroufler [painting]; doubler [fabric]

- backed combining form

1) ( of furniture)

2) (lined, stiffened)

3) ( supported)

4) ( financed)

•

- back away

- back down

- back off

- back onto

- back out

- back up

••

1) (to support or encourage: The new evidence backed up my arguments.) sostener

2) (to make a copy of the information stored on the computer or disk.) hacer una copia de seguridad/reserva

• dar marcha atrás expr.

• ciar v.

• hacer una copia de seguridad v.

• recalcitrar v.

• retornar v.

1) v + o + adv, v + adv + o

a) ( support) respaldar, apoyar

b) ( Comput) \<\<file\>\> hacer* una copia de seguridad de

2) v + adv

a) ( reverse) dar* marcha atrás, echar or meter reversa (Col, Méx)

b) ( form tailback)

1. VT + ADV

1) (=support) [+ person] apoyar, respaldar

2) (=confirm) [+ claim, theory] respaldar

3) (=reverse) [+ car] dar marcha atrás a, hacer retroceder

4) (Comput) [+ file] hacer una copia de seguridad or de reserva de

5) (=delay)

2. VI + ADV

1) (in car) (=reverse) dar marcha atrás

2) (=queue)

* * *

1) v + o + adv, v + adv + o

a) ( support) respaldar, apoyar

b) ( Comput) \<\<file\>\> hacer* una copia de seguridad de

2) v + adv

a) ( reverse) dar* marcha atrás, echar or meter reversa (Col, Méx)

b) ( form tailback)

SUBJECT AREA: Land transport, Railways and locomotives, Steam and internal combustion engines

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Orphaned as a child, Hamilton went to work for Southern Pacific Railroad in his teens, and then worked for several other companies. In his spare time he learned mathematics and physics from a retired professor. In 1911 he joined the White Motor Company, makers of road motor vehicles in Denver, Colorado, where he had gone to recuperate from malaria. He remained there until 1922, apart from an eighteenth-month break for war service.

Upon his return from war service, Hamilton found White selling petrol-engined railbuses with mechanical transmission, based on road vehicles, to railways. He noted that they were not robust enough and that the success of petrol railcars with electric transmission, built by General Electric since 1906, was limited as they were complex to drive and maintain. In 1922 Hamilton formed, and became President of, the Electro- Motive Engineering Corporation (later Electro-Motive Corporation) to design and produce petrol-electric rail cars. Needing an engine larger than those used in road vehicles, yet lighter and faster than marine engines, he approached the Win ton Engine Company to develop a suitable engine; in addition, General Electric provided electric transmission with a simplified control system. Using these components, Hamilton arranged for his petrol-electric railcars to be built by the St Louis Car Company, with the first being completed in 1924. It was the beginning of a highly successful series. Fuel costs were lower than for steam trains and initial costs were kept down by using standardized vehicles instead of designing for individual railways. Maintenance costs were minimized because Electro-Motive kept stocks of spare parts and supplied replacement units when necessary. As more powerful, 800 hp (600 kW) railcars were produced, railways tended to use them to haul trailer vehicles, although that practice reduced the fuel saving. By the end of the decade Electro-Motive needed engines more powerful still and therefore had to use cheap fuel. Diesel engines of the period, such as those that Winton had made for some years, were too heavy in relation to their power, and too slow and sluggish for rail use. Their fuel-injection system was erratic and insufficiently robust and Hamilton concluded that a separate injector was needed for each cylinder.

In 1930 Electro-Motive Corporation and Winton were acquired by General Motors in pursuance of their aim to develop a diesel engine suitable for rail traction, with the use of unit fuel injectors; Hamilton retained his position as President. At this time, industrial depression had combined with road and air competition to undermine railway-passenger business, and Ralph Budd, President of the Chicago, Burlington \& Quincy Railroad, thought that traffic could be recovered by way of high-speed, luxury motor trains; hence the Pioneer Zephyr was built for the Burlington. This comprised a 600 hp (450 kW), lightweight, two-stroke, diesel engine developed by General Motors (model 201 A), with electric transmission, that powered a streamlined train of three articulated coaches. This train demonstrated its powers on 26 May 1934 by running non-stop from Denver to Chicago, a distance of 1,015 miles (1,635 km), in 13 hours and 6 minutes, when the fastest steam schedule was 26 hours. Hamilton and Budd were among those on board the train, and it ushered in an era of high-speed diesel trains in the USA. By then Hamilton, with General Motors backing, was planning to use the lightweight engine to power diesel-electric locomotives. Their layout was derived not from steam locomotives, but from the standard American boxcar. The power plant was mounted within the body and powered the bogies, and driver's cabs were at each end. Two 900 hp (670 kW) engines were mounted in a single car to become an 1,800 hp (l,340 kW) locomotive, which could be operated in multiple by a single driver to form a 3,600 hp (2,680 kW) locomotive. To keep costs down, standard locomotives could be mass-produced rather than needing individual designs for each railway, as with steam locomotives. Two units of this type were completed in 1935 and sent on trial throughout much of the USA. They were able to match steam locomotive performance, with considerable economies: fuel costs alone were halved and there was much less wear on the track. In the same year, Electro-Motive began manufacturing diesel-electrie locomotives at La Grange, Illinois, with design modifications: the driver was placed high up above a projecting nose, which improved visibility and provided protection in the event of collision on unguarded level crossings; six-wheeled bogies were introduced, to reduce axle loading and improve stability. The first production passenger locomotives emerged from La Grange in 1937, and by early 1939 seventy units were in service. Meanwhile, improved engines had been developed and were being made at La Grange, and late in 1939 a prototype, four-unit, 5,400 hp (4,000 kW) diesel-electric locomotive for freight trains was produced and sent out on test from coast to coast; production versions appeared late in 1940. After an interval from 1941 to 1943, when Electro-Motive produced diesel engines for military and naval use, locomotive production resumed in quantity in 1944, and within a few years diesel power replaced steam on most railways in the USA.

Hal Hamilton remained President of Electro-Motive Corporation until 1942, when it became a division of General Motors, of which he became Vice-President.

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back [bæk]

vers l'arrière ⇒ 1 (a) re + verbe ⇒ 1 (b), 1 (c) de derrière ⇒ 2 (a) arrière ⇒ 2 (a), 3 (g) dos ⇒ 3 (a)-(c), 3 (e), 3 (f) fond ⇒ 3 (d) reculer ⇒ 4 (a), 5 (a) financer ⇒ 4 (b) parier sur ⇒ 4 (c)

1 adverb

(a) (towards the rear) vers l'arrière, en arrière;

∎ he stepped back il a reculé d'un pas, il a fait un pas en arrière;

∎ I pushed back my chair j'ai reculé ma chaise;

∎ she tied her hair back elle a attaché ses cheveux;

∎ he glanced back il a regardé derrière lui;

∎ house set or standing back from the road maison écartée du chemin ou en retrait

(b) (into or in previous place)

∎ to come back revenir;

∎ to go back (return) retourner;

∎ to go or turn back (retrace footsteps) rebrousser chemin;

∎ American familiar to go back on sb (betray) doubler qn;

∎ we went back home nous sommes rentrés (à la maison);

∎ my headache's back j'ai de nouveau mal à la tête, mon mal de tête a recommencé;

∎ they'll be back on Monday ils rentrent ou ils seront de retour lundi;

∎ I'll be right back je reviens tout de suite;

∎ I'll be back (threat) vous me reverrez;

∎ we expect him back tomorrow il doit rentrer demain;

∎ as soon as you get back dès votre retour;

∎ is he back at work? a-t-il repris le travail?;

∎ he's just back from Moscow il arrive ou rentre de Moscou;

∎ we went to town and back nous avons fait un saut en ville;

∎ he went to his aunt's and back il a fait l'aller et retour chez sa tante;

∎ the trip to Madrid and back takes three hours il faut trois heures pour aller à Madrid et revenir;

∎ meanwhile, back in Washington entre-temps, à Washington;

∎ back home, there's no school on Saturdays chez moi ou nous, il n'y a pas d'école le samedi;

∎ Commerce the back-to-school sales les soldes fpl de la rentrée

(c) (indicating return to previous state)

∎ she wants her children back elle veut qu'on lui rende ses enfants;

∎ he went back to sleep il s'est rendormi;

∎ business soon got back to normal les affaires ont vite repris leur cours normal;

∎ miniskirts are coming back (in fashion) les minijupes reviennent à la mode

(d) (earlier)

∎ six pages back six pages plus haut;

∎ back in the 17th century au 17ème siècle;

∎ as far back as I can remember d'aussi loin que je m'en souvienne;

∎ back in November déjà au mois de novembre;

∎ familiar ten years back il y a dix ans^□

(e) (in reply, in return)

∎ you should ask for your money back vous devriez demander un remboursement ou qu'on vous rembourse;

∎ I hit him back je lui ai rendu son coup;

∎ if you kick me I'll kick you back si tu me donnes un coup de pied, je te le rendrai;

∎ she smiled back at him elle lui a répondu par un sourire;

∎ to write back répondre (par écrit);

∎ to get one's own back (on sb) prendre sa revanche (sur qn);

∎ that's her way of getting back at you c'est sa façon de prendre sa revanche sur toi

2 adjective

(a) (rear → door, garden) de derrière; (→ wheel) arrière (inv); (→ seat) arrière (inv), de derrière;

∎ the back legs of a horse les pattes fpl arrière d'un cheval;

∎ back entrance entrée f située à l'arrière;

∎ the back room is the quietest la pièce qui donne sur l'arrière est la plus calme;

∎ the back page of the newspaper la dernière page du journal;

∎ to put sth on the back burner remettre qch à plus tard

(b) (quiet → lane, road) écarté, isolé

(c) (overdue) arriéré

(d) Linguistics (vowel) postérieur

3 noun

(a) (part of body) dos m;

∎ back pain mal m de dos;

∎ to have a back problem avoir des problèmes de dos;

∎ she carried her baby on her back elle portait son bébé sur son dos;

∎ I fell flat on my back je suis tombé à la renverse ou sur le dos;

∎ we lay on our backs nous étions allongés sur le dos;

∎ my back aches j'ai mal au dos;

∎ the cat arched its back le chat a fait le gros dos;

∎ I only saw them from the back je ne les ai vus que de dos;

∎ she sat with her back to the window elle était assise le dos tourné à la fenêtre;

∎ sitting with one's back to the light assis à contre-jour;

∎ he was sitting with his back to the wall il était assis, dos au mur;

∎ figurative to have one's back to the wall être au pied du mur;

∎ to turn one's back on sb tourner le dos à qn; figurative abandonner qn;

∎ when my back was turned quand j'avais le dos tourné;

∎ you had your back to me tu me tournais le dos;

∎ they have the police at their backs (in support) ils ont la police avec eux; (in pursuit) ils ont la police à leurs trousses;

∎ with an army at his back (supporting him) soutenu par une armée;

∎ to do sth behind sb's back faire qch dans le dos de qn;

∎ he laughs at you behind your back il se moque de vous quand vous avez le dos tourné ou dans votre dos;

∎ to talk about sb behind their back dire du mal de qn dans son dos;

∎ the decision was taken behind my back la décision a été prise derrière mon dos;

∎ he went behind my back to the boss il est allé voir le patron derrière mon dos ou à mon insu;

∎ to be flat on one's back (bedridden) être alité ou cloué au lit;

∎ familiar get off my back! fiche-moi la paix!;

∎ mind your backs! attention, s'il vous plaît!;

∎ the rich live off the backs of the poor les riches vivent sur le dos des pauvres;

∎ to put sb's back up énerver qn;

∎ to put one's back into sth mettre toute son énergie dans qch;

∎ familiar that's it, put your back into it! allez, un peu de nerf!;

∎ to put one's back out se faire mal au dos;

∎ I'll be glad to see the back of her je serai content de la voir partir ou d'être débarrassé d'elle

(b) (part opposite the front → gen) dos m, derrière m; (→ of coat, shirt, door) dos m; (→ of vehicle, building, head) arrière m; (→ of train) queue f; (→ of book) fin f;

∎ to sit in the back (of car) monter à l'arrière;

∎ to sit at the back (of bus) s'asseoir à l'arrière;

∎ the carriage at the back of the train la voiture en queue de ou du train;

∎ at the back of the book à la fin du livre;

∎ the garden is out or round the back le jardin se trouve derrière la maison;

∎ the dress fastens at the back or American in back la robe s'agrafe dans le dos;

∎ there was an advert on the back of the bus il y avait une publicité à l'arrière du bus;

∎ familiar she's got a face like the back of a bus elle est moche comme un pou

(c) (other side → of hand, spoon, envelope) dos m; (→ of carpet, coin, medal) revers m; (→ of fabric) envers m; (→ of page) verso m; Finance (→ of cheque) dos m, verso m;

∎ I know this town like the back of my hand je connais cette ville comme ma poche;

∎ familiar you'll feel the back of my hand in a minute! tu vas en prendre une!

(d) (farthest from the front → of cupboard, room, stage) fond m;

∎ back of the mouth arrière-bouche f;

∎ back of the throat arrière-gorge f;

∎ we'd like a table at the or in the very back nous voudrions une table tout au fond;

∎ familiar in the back of beyond en pleine brousse, au diable vauvert;

∎ it was always there at the back of his mind that… l'idée ne le quittait pas que…;

∎ it's something to keep at the back of your mind c'est quelque chose à ne pas oublier;

∎ I've had it or it's been at the back of my mind for ages j'y pense depuis longtemps, ça fait longtemps que ça me travaille

(e) (binding) dos m

(f) (of chair) dos m, dossier m

(g) Sport arrière m;

∎ (full) back arrière m;

∎ right/left back arrière m droit/gauche

4 transitive verb

(a) (move backwards → bicycle, car) reculer; (→ horse) faire reculer; (→ train) refouler;

∎ I backed the car into the garage j'ai mis la voiture dans le garage en marche arrière;

∎ she backed him into the next room elle l'a fait reculer dans la pièce d'à côté

(b) Commerce (support financially → company, venture) financer, commanditer; Finance (→ loan) garantir;

∎ Finance to back a bill avaliser ou endosser un effet

(c) (encourage → efforts, person, venture) encourager, appuyer, soutenir; Politics (→ candidate, bill) soutenir;

∎ we backed her in her fight against racism nous l'avons soutenue dans sa lutte contre le racisme;

(d) (bet on) parier sur, miser sur;

∎ Sport to back a winner (horse, team) parier ou miser sur un gagnant; Finance & Commerce (company, stock) bien placer son argent; figurative jouer la bonne carte;

∎ figurative to back the wrong horse parier ou miser sur le mauvais cheval

(e) Textiles (strengthen, provide backing for → curtain, material) doubler; (→ picture, paper) renforcer

(f) Music (accompany) accompagner

(g) Nautical (sail) masquer

5 intransitive verb

(a) (go in reverse → car, train) faire marche arrière; (→ horse, person) reculer;

∎ the car backed into the driveway la voiture est entrée en marche arrière dans l'allée;

∎ I backed into my neighbour's car je suis rentré dans la voiture de mon voisin en reculant;

∎ I backed into a corner je me suis retiré dans un coin

(b) (wind) tourner en sens inverse des aiguilles d'une montre

6 back and forth adverb

∎ to go back and forth (person) faire des allées et venues; (machine, piston) faire un mouvement de va-et-vient;

∎ his eyes darted back and forth il regardait de droite à gauche

7 back to front adverb

devant derrière, à l'envers;

∎ you've got your pullover on back to front tu as mis ton pull devant derrière

8 in back of preposition

American derrière

►► Technology back boiler = ballon d'eau chaude situé derrière un foyer;

Press back copy vieux numéro m;

Australian & New Zealand back country campagne f, arrière-pays m inv;

back door (of building) porte f de derrière; Finance financement m déguisé;

∎ figurative to get in through or by the back door être pistonné;

(a) (of car, bus) arrière m; (of train) queue f

(b) North of England (autumn) arrière-saison f, automne m;

∎ the back end of the year l'arrière-saison;

Linguistics back formation dérivation f régressive;

American back haul = trajet de retour d'un camion;

Finance back interest arrérages mpl, intérêts mpl arriérés;

Press back issue vieux numéro m;

Golf the back nine les neuf derniers trous mpl;

Press back number vieux numéro m;

Banking back office back-office m;

back office staff personnels mpl de back-office;

Commerce back orders commandes fpl en souffrance;

back page dernière page f;

Football back pass passe f en retrait;

back passage Anatomy rectum m; (alley) ruelle f;

back pay rappel m de salaire;

Cinema & Theatre back projection rétroprojection f;

back rent arriéré m de loyer;

back road petite route f;

back room (in house) pièce f de derrière; (in shop) arrière-boutique f; (for research) laboratoire m de recherche secret;

back seat siège m arrière;

∎ figurative to take a back seat (job, project) passer au second plan; (person) s'effacer;

back shift (people) = équipe du soir;

∎ I hate the back shift je déteste être du soir;

∎ to work or be on the back shift être (de l'équipe) du soir;

Linguistics back slang ≃ verlan m;

back straight ligne f (droite) d'en face;

back street petite rue f;

∎ I grew up in the back streets of Chicago j'ai été élevé dans les mauvais quartiers de Chicago;

Horseracing back stretch (on race course) ligne f d'en face;

American familiar back talk impertinence^□ f, insolence^□ f;

Finance back taxes arriéré m d'impôts

➲ back away intransitive verb

(a) (car) faire marche arrière

(b) (person) (se) reculer;

∎ she backed away from him elle a reculé devant lui;

∎ figurative they have backed away from making a decision ils se sont abstenus de prendre une décision

➲ back down intransitive verb

(accept defeat → in argument) admettre qu'on est dans son tort; (→ in conflict) faire marche arrière;

∎ he finally backed down on the issue of membership il a fini par céder sur la question de l'adhésion

➲ back off intransitive verb

(a) (withdraw) reculer;

∎ familiar figurative back off, will you! fiche-moi la paix!, lâche-moi les baskets!

(b) American (accept defeat → in argument) admettre qu'on est dans son tort; (→ in conflict) faire marche arrière

➲ back onto inseparable transitive verb

(have back facing towards) donner sur (à l'arrière);

∎ the house backs onto the river l'arrière de la maison donne sur la rivière

➲ back out intransitive verb

(a) (car) sortir en marche arrière; (person) sortir à reculons

(b) figurative (withdraw) se dérober, tirer son épingle du jeu;

∎ don't back out now! ne faites pas marche arrière maintenant!;

∎ they backed out of the deal ils se sont retirés de l'affaire;

∎ to back out of a contract se rétracter ou se retirer d'un contrat;

∎ he's trying to back out (of it) il voudrait se dédire

➲ back up

1 intransitive verb

(a) (car) faire marche arrière

(b) (drain) se boucher; (water) refouler

2 separable transitive verb

(a) (car, horse) faire reculer; (train) refouler

(b) (support → claim, story) appuyer, soutenir; (→ person) soutenir, épauler, seconder;

∎ to back sb up in an argument donner raison à qn;

∎ her story is backed up by eye witnesses sa version des faits est confirmée par des témoins oculaires;

∎ he backed this up with a few facts il a étayé ça avec quelques faits

(c) Computing (data, file) sauvegarder

(d) (accumulate)

∎ traffic is backed up for 5 miles ≃ il y a un embouteillage sur 8 km

3 intransitive verb

Computing sauvegarder

✾ Film 'Back to the Future' Zemeckis 'Retour vers le futur'