Back Idioms

(English Idioms & Sayings)
back and forth

- backwards and forwards, first one way and then the other way
The argument went back and forth before the judge made a decision.

back down (from someone or something)

- to fail to carry through on a threat to do something
The government backed down from their plan to sell the national airline.

back in circulation

- to be available to the public again (a library book)
The books were back in circulation after we returned them to the library.

back in circulation

- to be socially active again (after the breakup of a relationship between two people)
My friend stopped seeing his girlfriend and he is now back in circulation.

back of beyond

- somewhere very remote
Every summer we go to the back of beyond for a camping trip.

back on one`s feet

- to return to good financial or physical health
My friend is back on his feet after his company went out of business.

back out (of something)

- to withdraw from an agreement or promise
The company backed out of the agreement with the foreign firm.

back the wrong horse

- to support someone or something that cannot win or succeed
We backed the wrong horse in the election and our candidate lost badly.

back-to-back

- something follows immediately after something else, two people touching backs
There were two back-to-back games today because of the rain last week.

back to square one

- to go back to the beginning of something
The city was back to square one in their effort to build a new bridge.

back to the drawing board

- to go back and start a project or idea from the beginning
The boss does not like our idea so we must go back to the drawing board.

back to the salt mines

- to return to work or return to something else that you do not want to do
We finished our lunch and went back to the salt mines.

back up (someone or something)

- to support someone or something
The doctor made a mistake and the hospital refused to back him up.

Posted by Learning English through Idioms and Sayings