backstroke

Pluralbackstrokes

Formsbackstrokes, backstroking, backstroked

1. 1
   nouncountable or uncountable

   A way of swimming on your back, moving your arms in circles to push yourself along.

   Like floating on your back to look at the sky, but moving your arms to travel through the water.

   She learned the backstroke at summer camp last year.

   Swimming the backstroke lets you breathe easily because your face stays up.

   Note
2. 2
   verbintransitive

   To swim on your back, moving both arms in circles to push yourself along.

   I can backstroke across the whole pool now.

   Try to backstroke slowly so you don't get tired.

3. 3
   nouncountable

   A hit made with the back of the hand swinging outward.

   Like swatting something away with the back of your hand.

   He knocked the cup off the table with a careless backstroke.

   The fencer caught his opponent with a quick backstroke.

   Similarbackhand

   Oppositeforehand

   Note
4. 4
   nouncountable

   In bell ringing, the pull on the end of the rope that swings the bell all the way around.

   Like giving a swing another push as it comes back toward you.

   On the backstroke, she let the rope run through her hands.

   The ringer pulled hard on the backstroke to keep the bell moving.

   Oppositehandstroke

   Note

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