backward

backward
I
(New American Roget's College Thesaurus)
adj. retarded, slow, underdeveloped; third-world; delayed, tardy; unwilling, loath, shy. See rear, unwillingness, lateness.
II
(Roget's IV) modif.
1. [To the rear]
Syn. rearward, astern, behind, aback, retro-, retrograde, regressive, reflex, retrogressive.
Ant. forward*, progressive, onward.
2. [Dull]
Syn. stupid, slow-witted, dense; see dull 3 .
3. [Retiring]
Syn. bashful, reserved, shy; see humble 1 .
4. [Reversed]
Syn. turned around, counterclockwise, inverted; see reversed .
5. [Behind in development]
Syn. underdeveloped, slow, slow to develop, retarded, delayed, arrested, checked, behindhand, late, undeveloped, underprivileged, unenlightened.
• bend over backward* ,
Syn. try hard to please, conciliate, be fair; see try 1 .
III
(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) a.
1. toward the rear rearward, in reverse, behind.
2. in reverse upside-down, inside-out, wrong, *bassackwards.
3. shy hesitant, reticent, bashful, reserved, timid, demure.
4. retarded slow, behind, simple, inept, stupid, rustic, impeded, laggard, dull.
ANT.: 3. confident, bold, forward. 4. advanced, quick, brilliant
IV
(Roget's Thesaurus II) I adjective 1. Directed or facing toward the back or rear: retrograde, retrogressive. See PRECEDE. 2. Not forward but reticent or reserved in manner: bashful, coy, demure, diffident, modest, retiring, self-effacing, shy1, timid. See RESTRAINT. 3. Exhibiting lack of education or knowledge: benighted, ignorant, primitive, unenlightened. See KNOWLEDGE. 4. Having only a limited ability to learn and understand: dull, simple, simple-minded, slow, slow-witted. Informal: soft. Offensive: feeble-minded, half-witted, retarded, weak-minded. See ABILITY. 5. Not progressing and developing as fast as others, as in economic and social aspects: lagging, underdeveloped, undeveloped. See PRECEDE. 6. Economically and socially below standard: depressed, deprived, disadvantaged, impoverished, underprivileged. See RICH. 7. Clinging to obsolete ideas: conservative, reactionary, unprogressive. See POLITICS. II adverb 1. Toward the back: about, around, back, backwards, rearward. See PRECEDE. 2. In or toward a former location or condition: about, around, back, backwards, rearward, round. See APPROACH.

English dictionary for students. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • backward — backward, retrograde, retrogressive, regressive all involve the idea of not moving or going ahead, or forward, or in advance. Only when applied to motion or a movement does backward imply the reverse of forward motion {a backward thrust of a… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • backward — backward, backwards 1. For the adverb, both forms are in use, although backward is somewhat more common in AmE and backwards in BrE: • Talk ran backward from the events of the morning A. Munro, CanE 1987 • I walked backward to look at her in the… …   Modern English usage

  • Backward — Back ward, a. 1. Directed to the back or rear; as, backward glances. [1913 Webster] 2. Unwilling; averse; reluctant; hesitating; loath. [1913 Webster] For wiser brutes were backward to be slaves. Pope. [1913 Webster] 3. Not well advanced in… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Backward — Back ward, Backwards Back wards, adv. [Back, adv. + ward.] 1. With the back in advance or foremost; as, to ride backward. [1913 Webster] 2. Toward the back; toward the rear; as, to throw the arms backward. [1913 Webster] 3. On the back, or with… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • backward — [adj1] toward the rear astern, behind, inverted, rearward, regressive, retrograde; concept 581 Ant. ahead, forward, to the front backward [adj2] bashful afraid, averse, demure, diffident, disinclined, hesitant, hesitating, humble, indisposed,… …   New thesaurus

  • backward — [bak′wərd] adv. [ME bakward, for abakward < abak (< OE on bæc, back) + ward (< OE weard, toward)] 1. toward the back or rear; behind 2. with the back or rear foremost 3. in reverse [to spell a word backward] 4. in a way contrary to the… …   English World dictionary

  • backward — (adv.) c.1300, from abakward, from O.E. on bæc (see BACK (Cf. back) (adv.)) + weard adj./adv. suffix (see WARD (Cf. ward)). O.E. had the adverb bæcling. As an adjective, from 1550s. Meaning behindhand with regard to progress is first attested… …   Etymology dictionary

  • backward — ► ADJECTIVE 1) directed behind or to the rear. 2) having made less progress than is normal or expected. ● not backward in Cf. ↑not backward in DERIVATIVES backwardly adverb backwardness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • Backward — Back ward, n. The state behind or past. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] In the dark backward and abysm of time. Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Backward — Back ward, v. t. To keep back; to hinder. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • backward — I adjective arrested, behindhand, belated, dallying, defected, delayed, delaying, dilatory, impeded, late, mentally deficient, overdue, procrastinating, regressive, retarded, retroactive, retrograde, reversed, slow, subnormal, tardy, untimely II… …   Law dictionary

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