Part 851

<i> Atterbury.</i>

<h1>Backdoor</h1> <Xpage=110>

<hw>Back"door"</hw>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Acting from behind and in concealment; as <i>backdoor</i> intrigues.</def>

<h1>Backdown</h1> <Xpage=110>

<hw>Back"down`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>A receding or giving up; a complete surrender.</def> <mark>[Colloq.]</mark>

<h1>Backed</h1> <Xpage=110>

<hw>Backed</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Having a back; fitted with a back; <as>as, a <ex>backed</ex> electrotype or stereotype plate</as>. Used in composition; <as>as, broad- <ex>backed</ex>; hump-<ex>backed</ex>.</as></def>

<h1>Backer</h1> <Xpage=110>

<hw>Back"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who, or that which, backs; especially one who backs a person or thing in a contest.</def>

<h1>Backfall</h1> <Xpage=110>

<hw>Back"fall`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[2nd <ets>back</ets> ,n. + <ets>fall</ets>]</ety> <def>A fall or throw on the back in wrestling.</def>

<h1>Backfriend</h1> <Xpage=110>

<hw>Back"friend`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[<ets>Back</ets>,<tt>n.</tt>or adv. + <ets>friend</ets>]</ety> <def>A secret enemy.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i> South.</i>

<h1>Backgammon</h1> <Xpage=110>

<hw>Back"gam`mon</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Origin unknown; perhaps fr.Dan. <ets>bakke</ets> tray + E. <ets>game</ets>; or very likely the first part is from E.<ets>back</ets>, adv., and the game is so called because the men are often set <ets>back</ets>.]</ety> <def>A game of chance and skill, played by two persons on a "board" marked off into twenty-four spaces called "points". Each player has fifteen pieces, or "men", the movements of which from point to point are determined by throwing dice. Formerly called <i>tables</i>.</def>

<cs><col>Backgammon board</col> , <cd>a board for playing backgammon, often made in the form of two rectangular trays hinged together, each tray containing two "tables".</cd></cs>

<h1>Backgammon</h1> <Xpage=110>

<hw>Back"gam`mon</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>In the game of backgammon, to beat by ending the game before the loser is clear of his first "table".</def>

<h1>Background</h1> <Xpage=110>

<hw>Back"ground`</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[<ets>Back</ets>, a. + <ets>ground</ets>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>Ground in the rear or behind, or in the distance, as opposed to the foreground, or the ground in front.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Paint.)</fld> <def>The space which is behind and subordinate to a portrait or group of figures.</def>

<note>&hand; The distance in a picture is usually divided into foreground, middle distance, and <i>background</i>.</note>

<i>Fairholt.</i>

<p><b>3.</b> <def>Anything behind, serving as a foil; <as>as, the statue had a <ex>background</ex> of red hangings</as>.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>A place in obscurity or retirement, or out of sight.</def>

<blockquote>I fancy there was a <b>background</b> of grinding and waiting before Miss Torry could produce this highly finished . . . performance. <i>Mrs. Alexander.</i></blockquote>