1850. Whyte Melville, Kate Coventry, ch. i. I knew this was what
John calls a back hander at me, but I can be so good-natured when I
have anything to gain, therefore I only said ——.
Backing and Filling, adj. (colloquial).—A backing and filling policy is
one that is shifty; irresolute; trifling. A figurative usage derived
from backing and filling a vessel, i.e., keeping it in the middle of
the stream of a narrow river by advancing first to one shore, and then
backing to the other, allowing the stream to make the way, the wind
blowing in an opposite direction to the stream.
Backing-On.—See Turning-on.
Backings Up, subs. (Winchester College).—The unconsumed ends of
half-burned fagots. They are collected and sometimes made into
surreptitious fires by ‘Juniors.’
Back Jump, subs. (thieves’).—A back window.—See Jump.
Backmarked. To be backmarked, verb. (pedestrian).—In handicapping to
receive less start from ‘scratch’ than previously given—even to being
put back to ‘scratch.’
Back Out, verb. (colloquial).—To retreat cautiously and tacitly; from
stable phraseology; e.g., the backing out of a horse. Very much the
same as to back down (q.v.).
1817. Scott, Rob Roy, ch. viii. Jobson, however, was determined
that Morris should not back out of the scrape so easily.
1855. A. Trollope, The Warden, ch. xii. How was he to back out of a
matter in which his name was already so publicly concerned?
1870. L. Oliphant, Piccadilly, pt. IV., p. 152. I am sure that he
had done his best to spread the report of my marriage with his
sister for fear of my backing out.
Back Scuttle, verb. (thieves’).—The same as back-slang (q.v.).
Back-Seam. To be down on one’s back-seam, phr. (tailors’).—To be down
on one’s luck; to be unfortunate.
Back Seat. To take a back seat, phr. (American).—Figuratively, to
retire into obscurity; it also sometimes implies a silent confession of
failure; an inability to accomplish what one has attempted. The
colloquialism has gained a world-wide currency; it received an immense
‘send off,’ as the Americans say, from Andrew Johnson’s famous saying
in 1868, that in the work of Reconstruction traitors should take back
seats.
1885. Society, Feb. 7, p. 9. This great batting achievement must,
however, take a back seat when compared with the enormous total
recently scored by Shaw’s Eleven in Australia, against a powerful
Colonial team.
1888. Daily News, Feb. 24, p. 5, col. 2. Any form of art which is
barred by its very nature from perfection must take what the
Americans call a back seat.
1888. Texas Siftings, p. 426. Who will say the Britishers are not a
forbearing and forgiving race, and the inhabitants of
Stratford-on-Avon don’t by any means take a back seat in that line?
Ignatius Donnelly actually visited the birthplace of Shakespeare,
and wasn’t lynched! Far from it, he was hospitably received and
entertained.
Back-Slum, subs. (colloquial).—The lowest and most disreputable
quarters of a town or city; generally applied to the dens and rookeries
of the criminal and ‘outcast’ classes.
1821. W. T. Moncrieff’s Tom and Jerry, Act ii., Scene 5. Log. Well,
don’t grumble—every one must pay for his learning—and you wouldn’t
bilk the schoolmaster, would you? But, come, I’m getting merry; so
if you wish for a bit of good truth, come with me, and let’s have a
dive among the cadgers in the back slums, in the Holy Land. Jerry.
Back slums—Holy Land!—I’m at fault again. Log. Why, among the
beggars in Dyot Street, St. Giles’s. Tom. Beggars! ah, we shall be
very good figures for the part.
(Turns out his pockets.)
1876. M. E. Braddon, Joshua Haggard’s Daughter, ch. xx. Not in
fetid alleys and festering London back-slums only is man’s fight
with difficulty a bitter and crushing battle.
(Australian thieves’.)—A back room or entrance.
Backstaircase, subs. (common).—A bustle, or ‘dress improver.’ For
synonyms, see Birdcage.
Backstair Influence, subs. (familiar).—Underhand dealing or persuasion;
a stab in the dark; intrigue. [From the use of the back or private
stairs of a palace, etc., for other than state visitors; hence, a
secret mode of approach; and, attributively, applied to indirect,
oblique, and unfair intrigue.]
1697. Vanbrugh, Relapse, II. He is like a backstair minister at
Court, who, while the reputed favourites are sauntering in the
bed-chamber, is ruling the roast in the closet.
1877. Grenville Murray, Round about France, p. 77. These men are
the most indefatigable retailers of backstairs small talk to the
little fry of journalism.
Back-Stall, subs. (thieves’).—An accomplice who ‘covers’ the actual
thief; especially used in relation to garrote-robberies, in which the
back-stall has two functions, first to screen his companion, and then,
if necessary, to ‘make off’ with the booty.
Back Talk. No back talk! phr. (common).— 1. A slang catch-phrase
indicating that the matter in question is closed to discussion;
‘there’s nothing more to be said.’