back-to-back

Pluralback-to-backs

1. 1
   one after anotheradjective

   Happening one right after another, with no break in between.

   Like train cars joined in a line, one right after the next.

   We watched two back-to-back episodes before dinner.

   She had back-to-back meetings all morning and never got a coffee break.

   Similarconsecutive, successive, straight

   Note
2. 2
   body positionadjective

   Standing or sitting with your back against someone else's back.

   Like two people leaning their backs together so neither falls over.

   The two dancers stood back-to-back in the center of the stage.

   We sat back-to-back on the floor to lean against each other.

   Oppositeface-to-face

3. 3
   one after anotheradverb

   Alternative form of back to back. Use this spelling for the same meaning, with the words joined by hyphens.

   The teams played back-to-back on the same court all afternoon.

   We scheduled the calls back-to-back to save time.

   Note
4. 4
   adjective

   Built with its back wall shared with the house directly behind it.

   Like two houses glued together at their back walls.

   They grew up in a back-to-back house near the old factory.

   Many back-to-back homes were built for mill workers in the 1800s.

   Note
5. 5
   one such housenouncountable

   A house that shares its back wall with the house directly behind it.

   Like one half of a pair of houses joined at the back.

   Her grandmother lived in a back-to-back close to the mill.

   The council pulled down hundreds of back-to-backs in the slum clearances.

   Note
6. 6
   opposite directionsadjective

   Moving out in exactly opposite directions from the same point.

   Like two people pushing off from each other and moving straight apart.

   The blast sent two fragments flying back-to-back across the chamber.

   In the experiment, the two particles shot off back-to-back.

   Note
7. 7
   pokeradjectiveslang

   In seven-card stud, having a pair made of your first two cards, one shown and one hidden.

   Like getting two matching cards right away, one you show and one you keep hidden.

   She was dealt back-to-back aces on the opening round.

   Having back-to-back kings gave him a strong start to the hand.

   Similarwired

   Note
8. 8
   rig workernouncountable

   A worker on an oil rig who takes turns with a partner, each working while the other is off.

   Like two people sharing one job, taking turns so the work never stops.

   His back-to-back covered the rig while he was home for two weeks.

   The two back-to-backs swapped shifts every two weeks.

   Note

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