# backwards

Pronunciation: say "BAK-wurdz" US /ˈbækwɝdz/, UK /ˈbækwɜːdz/

## Adverb

1. Toward the rear, or in the reverse of the usual or forward direction.
   - Simple: Toward the back, or in the reverse of the usual direction.
   - _The car rolled backwards a little before the brakes finally caught._
   - _Reciting the alphabet backwards is harder than most people expect._

## Adjective

2. Directed or facing toward the rear, or behind others in development or progress.
   - Simple: Facing toward the back, or behind others in progress.
   - _She shot him a backwards look that stopped him mid-sentence._
   - _Critics called the new regulation backwards and out of touch with the times._

## Verb

3. Third-person singular simple present indicative of backward. The verb, meaning to delay or hold back, is dated. *(dated)* — third-person singular simple present indicative of backward
   - Simple: Form of backward used with he, she, it, or a singular noun. An old verb meaning to hold back or delay.

## Origin

**Meaning 2** — Formed from 'backward' plus the suffix '-s', an ending used to make certain adverbs such as 'backwards', 'downwards', and 'inwards'.
**Meaning 1** — From Middle English 'bakwardis', a variant of 'bakwarde' or 'bakward' ('backward'), equivalent to 'backward' plus '-s'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/backwards (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).