| Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc. 2. (n.) A ferryboat. See Bac, 1. 3. (n.) In human beings, the hinder part of the body, extending from the neck to the end of the spine; in other animals, that part of the body which corresponds most nearly to such part of a human being; as, the back of a horse, fish, or lobster. 4. (n.) An extended upper part, as of a mountain or ridge. 5. (n.) The outward or upper part of a thing, as opposed to the inner or lower part; as, the back of the hand, the back of the foot, the back of a hand rail. 6. (n.) The part opposed to the front; the hinder or rear part of a thing; as, the back of a book; the back of an army; the back of a chimney. 7. (n.) The part opposite to, or most remote from, that which fronts the speaker or actor; or the part out of sight, or not generally seen; as, the back of an island, of a hill, or of a village. 8. (n.) The part of a cutting tool on the opposite side from its edge; as, the back of a knife, or of a saw. 9. (n.) A support or resource in reserve. 10. (n.) The keel and keelson of a ship. 11. (n.) The upper part of a lode, or the roof of a horizontal underground passage. 12. (n.) A garment for the back; hence, clothing. 13. (a.) Being at the back or in the rear; distant; remote; as, the back door; back settlements. 14. (a.) Being in arrear; overdue; as, back rent. 15. (a.) Moving or operating backward; as, back action. 16. (v. i.) To get upon the back of; to mount. 17. (v. i.) To place or seat upon the back. 18. (v. i.) To drive or force backward; to cause to retreat or recede; as, to back oxen. 19. (v. i.) To make a back for; to furnish with a back; as, to back books. 20. (v. i.) To adjoin behind; to be at the back of. 21. (v. i.) To write upon the back of; as, to back a letter; to indorse; as, to back a note or legal document. 22. (v. i.) To support; to maintain; to second or strengthen by aid or influence; as, to back a friend. 23. (v. i.) To bet on the success of; -- as, to back a race horse. 24. (v. i.) To move or go backward; as, the horse refuses to back. 25. (v. i.) To change from one quarter to another by a course opposite to that of the sun; -- used of the wind. 26. (v. i.) To stand still behind another dog which has pointed; -- said of a dog. 27. (adv.) In, to, or toward, the rear; as, to stand back; to step back. 28. (adv.) To the place from which one came; to the place or person from which something is taken or derived; as, to go back for something left behind; to go back to one's native place; to put a book back after reading it. 29. (adv.) To a former state, condition, or station; as, to go back to private life; to go back to barbarism. 30. (adv.) (Of time) In times past; ago. 31. (adv.) Away from contact; by reverse movement. 32. (adv.) In concealment or reserve; in one's own possession; as, to keep back the truth; to keep back part of the money due to another. 33. (adv.) In a state of restraint or hindrance. 34. (adv.) In return, repayment, or requital. 35. (adv.) In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking; as, he took back the offensive words. 36. (adv.) In arrear; as, to be back in one's rent. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia BACK, BACK PARTS (1) 'achar, ("back side" as in the King James Version): "He led the flock to the back of the wilderness" (Exodus 3:1), i.e. "to the pasture-lands on the other side of the desert from the Midianite encampments."
(2) 'achor, ("hinder part," "the West"): Used of God in an anthropomorphic sense ("Thou shalt see my back," Exodus 33:23) to signify "the after-glow of the Divine radiance," the faint reflection of God's essential glory. See also Isaiah 38:17 and compare 1 Kings 14:9 and Nehemiah 9:26.
(3) opisthen, ("back side"): "A book written within and on the back" (Revelation 5:1), "but the back of a book is not the same as the reverse side of a roll. John was struck, not only with the fact that the roll was sealed, but also with the amount of writing it contained" (HDB, I, 231). Compare Ezekiel 2:10.
M. O. Evans | 
