Definition of Back up

1. Verb. Give moral or psychological support, aid, or courage to. "Sam cannot back up Sue "; "Her children always backed her up"


2. Verb. Move backwards from a certain position. "The bully had to back down"
Exact synonyms: Back Down, Back Off
Generic synonyms: Draw Back, Move Back, Pull Away, Pull Back, Recede, Retire, Retreat, Withdraw
Derivative terms: Backdown

3. Verb. Establish as valid or genuine. "Can you back up your claims?"
Exact synonyms: Back
Generic synonyms: Affirm, Confirm, Corroborate, Substantiate, Support, Sustain

4. Verb. Make a copy of (a computer file) especially for storage in another place as a security copy. "You'd better back up these files!"

5. Verb. Become or cause to become obstructed. "The water pipe is backed up"
Exact synonyms: Choke, Choke Off, Clog, Clog Up, Congest, Foul
Specialized synonyms: Gum Up, Crap Up, Block, Choke Up, Lug, Stuff, Silt, Silt Up
Generic synonyms: Block, Close Up, Impede, Jam, Obstruct, Obturate, Occlude
Derivative terms: Backup, Clog, Congestion, Congestive
Antonyms: Unclog

Definition of Back up

1. Verb. (idiomatic intransitive) To move backwards, especially for a vehicle to do so. ¹

2. Verb. (idiomatic transitive) To move a vehicle backwards. ¹

3. Verb. (idiomatic intransitive) To undo one's actions. ¹

4. Verb. (idiomatic intransitive) To reconsider one's thoughts. ¹

5. Verb. (idiomatic computing transitive) To copy (data) as a security measure. ¹

6. Verb. (idiomatic transitive) To provide support or the promise of support. ¹

7. Verb. (idiomatic intransitive cricket) For the non-striker to take a few steps down the pitch, in preparation to taking a run, just as the bowler bowls the ball. ¹

8. Verb. (idiomatic intransitive cricket) For a fielder to position himself behind the wicket (relative to a team-mate who is throwing the ball at the wicket) so as to stop the ball, and prevent overthrows. ¹

9. Verb. (idiomatic intransitive of a blockage) to halt the flow or movement of something. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of Back Up

back story
back straight
back straights
back street
back talk
back teeth
back to back jack
back to back ticket
back to basics
back to front
back to nature
back to square one
back to the drawing board
back to the wall
back tooth
back up (current term)
back vowel
back wall
back walls
back water
back waters
back yard
back yards
backache
backaches
backaction
backake
backal
backarapper
backarc

Literary usage of Back up

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town by Cory Doctorow (2006)
"Mimi looked back up at the window, eyes locked on Krishna's. ... He saved the file and went back up to bed. Mimi was asleep, which was good, ..."

2. The Backup Book: Disaster Recovery from Desktop to Data Center by Dorian J. Cougias, E. L. Heiberger, Karsten Koop (2003)
"Second, there will always be more data to back up than time to back it up in ... “What to back up?” theories The three schools of thought about backup come ..."

3. Appletons' Annual Cyclopædia and Register of Important Events of the Year (1866)
"Emory's division, pressed by overwhelming numbers, fell back up the hill to the 10th corps, which was just behind the crest. The enemy rushed forward and ..."

4. Oecd Economic Surveys (2005)
"Natural gas consumption with back-up, 2003 and 2005 Industrial use, in % Source: Asociación de Distribuidores de Gas Naturai. Corta II but subsequently ..."

5. Publishers Weekly by Publishers' Board of Trade (U.S.), Book Trade Association of Philadelphia, American Book Trade Union, Am. Book Trade Association, R.R. Bowker Company (1920)
"Kaufmann, Stratus & Co. of Louisville gathered together an unusual collection of material to back up their display of Co!, ..."

6. Publications by Folklore Society (Great Britain) (1905)
"... throwing up and the catching the hand is turned twice, back up, then palm up. ... the hand is turned three times, back up, palm up, and back up again. ..."

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