"back and forth" meaning in English

See back and forth in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

Head templates: {{en-adj|-}} back and forth (not comparable)
  1. Going from one place or position to another and back again. Tags: not-comparable Translations (going from one place to another and back again): vaiver (Catalan), oscila (Esperanto), edestakainen (Finnish), oda-vissza (Hungarian), ide-oda (Hungarian), avanti e indietro (Italian)
    Sense id: en-back_and_forth-en-adj-tladFSpm
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: back-and-forth

Adverb

Head templates: {{en-adv|-}} back and forth (not comparable)
  1. From one place to another and back again. Tags: not-comparable
    Sense id: en-back_and_forth-en-adv-XkT2HQkA
  2. From one place to another and back again.
    Backwards and forwards.
    Tags: not-comparable Related terms: here and there, hither and thither, hither and yon Coordinate_terms: out-and-back, out-and-home, side-to-side, there and back, to and fro, up and down
    Sense id: en-back_and_forth-en-adv-mgP4sdKy Categories (other): English coordinated pairs Disambiguation of English coordinated pairs: 14 6 39 24 17
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: back-and-forth Translations (from one place to another and back again): ذَهَابًا وَإِيَابًا (ḏahāban wa-ʔiyāban) (Arabic), напред-назад (napred-nazad) (Bulgarian), 來回 (Chinese Mandarin), 来回 (láihuí) (Chinese Mandarin), frem og tilbage (Danish), heen en weer (Dutch), edasi-tagasi (Estonian), edestakaisin (Finnish), aller-retour [masculine] (French), va-et-vient [masculine] (French), indevant e indaûr (Friulian), de aquí para alí (Galician), entre idas e vidas (Galician), წინ და უკან (c̣in da uḳan) (Georgian), წინ-უკან (c̣in-uḳan) (Georgian), აქეთ-იქით (aket-ikit) (Georgian), hin und her (German), μπρος πίσω (bros píso) (Greek), הלוך חזור (Hebrew), oda-vissza (Hungarian), ide-oda (Hungarian), előre-hátra (Hungarian), fel-alá (Hungarian), fel s alá (Hungarian), fel és alá (Hungarian), le-fel (Hungarian), ki-be (Hungarian), avanti e indietro (Italian), 行ったり来たり (ittari-kitari) (alt: いったりきたり) (Japanese), 왔다갔다 (watdagatda) (Korean), 왔다리갔다리 (watdarigatdari) (Korean), hūc et illūc (Latin), frem og tilbake (Norwegian Bokmål), tam i z powrotem (Polish), tam i nazad (Polish), para frente e para trás (Portuguese), para lá e para cá (Portuguese), de colo colo (Romanian), de colo până colo (Romanian), dintr-o parte în alta (Romanian), de pe o parte pe alta (Romanian), înainte şi înapoi (Romanian), încoace şi încolo (Romanian), peste tot (Romanian), peste tot locul (Romanian), туда́ и обра́тно (tudá i obrátno) (Russian), туда́-сюда́ (tudá-sjudá) (english: fast movement, possibly aimless) (Russian), взад-вперёд (vzad-vperjód) (english: fast movement, possibly aimless) (Russian), amo-tamo (Serbo-Croatian), tamo i natrag (Serbo-Croatian), tamo i nazad (Serbo-Croatian), de acá para allá (Spanish), de ceca en meca (Spanish), fram och tillbaka (Swedish), orkäntai (Tocharian B), ileri geri (Turkish), tới lui (Vietnamese)
Disambiguation of 'from one place to another and back again': 50 50

Noun

Forms: back and forths [plural]
Head templates: {{en-noun|~}} back and forth (countable and uncountable, plural back and forths)
  1. The movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position. May refer to a concept such as an emotional state or a relationship as well as a physical thing. Tags: countable, uncountable Translations (movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position): vaivé [masculine] (Catalan), 往返 (wǎng-fǎn) (Chinese Mandarin), 來回 (Chinese Mandarin), 来回 (láihuí) (Chinese Mandarin), oscilo (Esperanto), edestakainen liike (Finnish), va-et-vient [masculine] (French), allées et venues [feminine, plural] (French), Hin und Her [neuter] (German), πηγαινέλα (pigainéla) [neuter] (Greek), himbálózás (english: swinging/rocking) (Hungarian), hullámzás (english: undulation/fluctuation) (Hungarian), ingázás (english: commuting or pendulum-like movement) (Hungarian), (vacillation/fluctuation) ingadozás (Hungarian), váltakozás (english: alternation) (Hungarian), andirivieni [masculine] (Italian), viavai [masculine] (Italian), 行ったり来たり (ittari-kitari) (alt: いったりきたり) (Japanese), ruch tam i z powrotem [masculine] (Polish)
    Sense id: en-back_and_forth-en-noun-mLR0f2CK Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, English entries with language name categories using raw markup, English merisms, English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 19 2 14 44 21 Disambiguation of English entries with language name categories using raw markup: 17 4 22 40 17 Disambiguation of English merisms: 16 3 27 37 17 Disambiguation of English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys: 19 6 17 43 15 Disambiguation of 'movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position': 95 5
  2. Negotiations or discussions between two or more parties; a dialog. Tags: countable, uncountable Synonyms (negotiations): tug of war Translations (negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog): huzavona (Hungarian), huzakodás (Hungarian), vitatkozás (Hungarian)
    Sense id: en-back_and_forth-en-noun-XHQml7Ms Disambiguation of 'negotiations': 28 72 Disambiguation of 'negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog': 4 96
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: back-and-forth

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

Download JSON data for back and forth meaning in English (17.3kB)

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  "head_templates": [
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      "expansion": "back and forth (not comparable)",
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "senses": [
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      "glosses": [
        "From one place to another and back again."
      ],
      "id": "en-back_and_forth-en-adv-XkT2HQkA",
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          "name": "English coordinated pairs",
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            "Terms by etymology"
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          "_dis1": "44 56",
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          "_dis1": "44 56",
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        {
          "_dis1": "44 56",
          "word": "there and back"
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          "_dis1": "44 56",
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        "From one place to another and back again.",
        "Backwards and forwards."
      ],
      "id": "en-back_and_forth-en-adv-mgP4sdKy",
      "links": [
        [
          "Backwards",
          "backwards"
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          "forwards",
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          "_dis1": "44 56",
          "word": "here and there"
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          "_dis1": "44 56",
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  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "21 27 21 28 3",
      "word": "back-and-forth"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "ḏahāban wa-ʔiyāban",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "ذَهَابًا وَإِيَابًا"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "napred-nazad",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "напред-назад"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "來回"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "láihuí",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "来回"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "frem og tilbage"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "heen en weer"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "edasi-tagasi"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "edestakaisin"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "aller-retour"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "va-et-vient"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "fur",
      "lang": "Friulian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "indevant e indaûr"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de aquí para alí"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "entre idas e vidas"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "c̣in da uḳan",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "წინ და უკან"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "c̣in-uḳan",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "წინ-უკან"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "aket-ikit",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "აქეთ-იქით"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "hin und her"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "bros píso",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "μπρος πίσω"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "הלוך חזור"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "oda-vissza"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "ide-oda"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "előre-hátra"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "fel-alá"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "fel s alá"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "fel és alá"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "le-fel"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "ki-be"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "avanti e indietro"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "alt": "いったりきたり",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "ittari-kitari",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "行ったり来たり"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "watdagatda",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "왔다갔다"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "watdarigatdari",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "왔다리갔다리"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "hūc et illūc"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "frem og tilbake"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "tam i z powrotem"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "tam i nazad"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "para frente e para trás"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "para lá e para cá"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de colo colo"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de colo până colo"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "dintr-o parte în alta"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de pe o parte pe alta"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "înainte şi înapoi"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "încoace şi încolo"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "peste tot"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "peste tot locul"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "tudá i obrátno",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "туда́ и обра́тно"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ru",
      "english": "fast movement, possibly aimless",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "tudá-sjudá",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "туда́-сюда́"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "ru",
      "english": "fast movement, possibly aimless",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "vzad-vperjód",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "взад-вперёд"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "amo-tamo"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "tamo i natrag"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "tamo i nazad"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de acá para allá"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de ceca en meca"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "fram och tillbaka"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "txb",
      "lang": "Tocharian B",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "orkäntai"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "ileri geri"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "50 50",
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "tới lui"
    }
  ],
  "word": "back and forth"
}

{
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      "expansion": "back and forth (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The back and forth movement of the tide causes erosion of the coastline."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Going from one place or position to another and back again."
      ],
      "id": "en-back_and_forth-en-adj-tladFSpm",
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
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      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
          "word": "vaiver"
        },
        {
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
          "word": "oscila"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
          "word": "edestakainen"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
          "word": "oda-vissza"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
          "word": "ide-oda"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
          "word": "avanti e indietro"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "21 27 21 28 3",
      "word": "back-and-forth"
    }
  ],
  "word": "back and forth"
}

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "back and forths",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "back and forth (countable and uncountable, plural back and forths)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "19 2 14 44 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 4 22 40 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with language name categories using raw markup",
            "Entry maintenance"
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          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 3 27 37 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English merisms",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "19 6 17 43 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2009, Dorothy Rich with Beverly Mattox, Megaskills for Babies, Toddlers, and Beyond: Building Your Child's Happiness, page 43",
          "text": "Roll the ball to your child, who then rolls it back to you. After a few back-and-forths, roll the ball to a nearby corner of the room or other hiding place.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position. May refer to a concept such as an emotional state or a relationship as well as a physical thing."
      ],
      "id": "en-back_and_forth-en-noun-mLR0f2CK",
      "links": [
        [
          "forward",
          "forward"
        ],
        [
          "return",
          "return"
        ],
        [
          "position",
          "position"
        ],
        [
          "concept",
          "concept"
        ],
        [
          "emotional",
          "emotional"
        ],
        [
          "state",
          "state"
        ],
        [
          "relationship",
          "relationship"
        ],
        [
          "physical",
          "physical"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "ca",
          "lang": "Catalan",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "vaivé"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "wǎng-fǎn",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "word": "往返"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "word": "來回"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "láihuí",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "word": "来回"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "word": "oscilo"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "word": "edestakainen liike"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "va-et-vient"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "tags": [
            "feminine",
            "plural"
          ],
          "word": "allées et venues"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Hin und Her"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "pigainéla",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "πηγαινέλα"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "hu",
          "english": "swinging/rocking",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "word": "himbálózás"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "hu",
          "english": "undulation/fluctuation",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "word": "hullámzás"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "hu",
          "english": "commuting or pendulum-like movement",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "word": "ingázás"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "word": "(vacillation/fluctuation) ingadozás"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "hu",
          "english": "alternation",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "word": "váltakozás"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "andirivieni"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "viavai"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "alt": "いったりきたり",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "ittari-kitari",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "word": "行ったり来たり"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "95 5",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "ruch tam i z powrotem"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1895, United States Congress, “Congressional serial set”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume 11214, page 718",
          "text": "There's some back and forth between Simpson and his CIA counterparts and, in essence, the CIA says that you must ship all of the quantities requested.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Negotiations or discussions between two or more parties; a dialog."
      ],
      "id": "en-back_and_forth-en-noun-XHQml7Ms",
      "links": [
        [
          "Negotiation",
          "negotiation"
        ],
        [
          "discussion",
          "discussion"
        ],
        [
          "parties",
          "parties"
        ],
        [
          "dialog",
          "dialog"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "_dis1": "28 72",
          "sense": "negotiations",
          "word": "tug of war"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog",
          "word": "huzavona"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog",
          "word": "huzakodás"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 96",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog",
          "word": "vitatkozás"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "21 27 21 28 3",
      "word": "back-and-forth"
    }
  ],
  "word": "back and forth"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adverbs",
    "English coordinated pairs",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English merisms",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English uncomparable adverbs",
    "English uncountable nouns"
  ],
  "coordinate_terms": [
    {
      "word": "out-and-back"
    },
    {
      "word": "out-and-home"
    },
    {
      "word": "side-to-side"
    },
    {
      "word": "there and back"
    },
    {
      "word": "to and fro"
    },
    {
      "word": "up and down"
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "back and forth (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adv"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "here and there"
    },
    {
      "word": "hither and thither"
    },
    {
      "word": "hither and yon"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "From one place to another and back again."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "From one place to another and back again.",
        "Backwards and forwards."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Backwards",
          "backwards"
        ],
        [
          "forwards",
          "forwards"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "back-and-forth"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "roman": "ḏahāban wa-ʔiyāban",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "ذَهَابًا وَإِيَابًا"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "napred-nazad",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "напред-назад"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "來回"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "láihuí",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "来回"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "frem og tilbage"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "heen en weer"
    },
    {
      "code": "et",
      "lang": "Estonian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "edasi-tagasi"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "edestakaisin"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "aller-retour"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "va-et-vient"
    },
    {
      "code": "fur",
      "lang": "Friulian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "indevant e indaûr"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de aquí para alí"
    },
    {
      "code": "gl",
      "lang": "Galician",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "entre idas e vidas"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "c̣in da uḳan",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "წინ და უკან"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "c̣in-uḳan",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "წინ-უკან"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "aket-ikit",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "აქეთ-იქით"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "hin und her"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "bros píso",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "μπρος πίσω"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "הלוך חזור"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "oda-vissza"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "ide-oda"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "előre-hátra"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "fel-alá"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "fel s alá"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "fel és alá"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "le-fel"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "ki-be"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "avanti e indietro"
    },
    {
      "alt": "いったりきたり",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "ittari-kitari",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "行ったり来たり"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "watdagatda",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "왔다갔다"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "watdarigatdari",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "왔다리갔다리"
    },
    {
      "code": "la",
      "lang": "Latin",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "hūc et illūc"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "frem og tilbake"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "tam i z powrotem"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "tam i nazad"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "para frente e para trás"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "para lá e para cá"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de colo colo"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de colo până colo"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "dintr-o parte în alta"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de pe o parte pe alta"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "înainte şi înapoi"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "încoace şi încolo"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "peste tot"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "peste tot locul"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "tudá i obrátno",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "туда́ и обра́тно"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "english": "fast movement, possibly aimless",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "tudá-sjudá",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "туда́-сюда́"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "english": "fast movement, possibly aimless",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "vzad-vperjód",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "взад-вперёд"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "amo-tamo"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "tamo i natrag"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "tamo i nazad"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de acá para allá"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "de ceca en meca"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "fram och tillbaka"
    },
    {
      "code": "txb",
      "lang": "Tocharian B",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "orkäntai"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "ileri geri"
    },
    {
      "code": "vi",
      "lang": "Vietnamese",
      "sense": "from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "tới lui"
    }
  ],
  "word": "back and forth"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adverbs",
    "English coordinated pairs",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English merisms",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English uncomparable adverbs",
    "English uncountable nouns"
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "back and forth (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "The back and forth movement of the tide causes erosion of the coastline."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Going from one place or position to another and back again."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "not-comparable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "back-and-forth"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "vaiver"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "oscila"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "edestakainen"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "oda-vissza"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "ide-oda"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "going from one place to another and back again",
      "word": "avanti e indietro"
    }
  ],
  "word": "back and forth"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English adverbs",
    "English coordinated pairs",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English entries with language name categories using raw markup",
    "English lemmas",
    "English merisms",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms with non-redundant non-automated sortkeys",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "English uncomparable adverbs",
    "English uncountable nouns"
  ],
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "back and forths",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "~"
      },
      "expansion": "back and forth (countable and uncountable, plural back and forths)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2009, Dorothy Rich with Beverly Mattox, Megaskills for Babies, Toddlers, and Beyond: Building Your Child's Happiness, page 43",
          "text": "Roll the ball to your child, who then rolls it back to you. After a few back-and-forths, roll the ball to a nearby corner of the room or other hiding place.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position. May refer to a concept such as an emotional state or a relationship as well as a physical thing."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "forward",
          "forward"
        ],
        [
          "return",
          "return"
        ],
        [
          "position",
          "position"
        ],
        [
          "concept",
          "concept"
        ],
        [
          "emotional",
          "emotional"
        ],
        [
          "state",
          "state"
        ],
        [
          "relationship",
          "relationship"
        ],
        [
          "physical",
          "physical"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with quotations"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1895, United States Congress, “Congressional serial set”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name), volume 11214, page 718",
          "text": "There's some back and forth between Simpson and his CIA counterparts and, in essence, the CIA says that you must ship all of the quantities requested.",
          "type": "quotation"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Negotiations or discussions between two or more parties; a dialog."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "Negotiation",
          "negotiation"
        ],
        [
          "discussion",
          "discussion"
        ],
        [
          "parties",
          "parties"
        ],
        [
          "dialog",
          "dialog"
        ]
      ],
      "tags": [
        "countable",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "sense": "negotiations",
      "word": "tug of war"
    },
    {
      "word": "back-and-forth"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ca",
      "lang": "Catalan",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "vaivé"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "wǎng-fǎn",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "word": "往返"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "word": "來回"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "láihuí",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "word": "来回"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "word": "oscilo"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "word": "edestakainen liike"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "va-et-vient"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "tags": [
        "feminine",
        "plural"
      ],
      "word": "allées et venues"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Hin und Her"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "pigainéla",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "πηγαινέλα"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "english": "swinging/rocking",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "word": "himbálózás"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "english": "undulation/fluctuation",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "word": "hullámzás"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "english": "commuting or pendulum-like movement",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "word": "ingázás"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "word": "(vacillation/fluctuation) ingadozás"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "english": "alternation",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "word": "váltakozás"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "andirivieni"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "viavai"
    },
    {
      "alt": "いったりきたり",
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "ittari-kitari",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "word": "行ったり来たり"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "ruch tam i z powrotem"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog",
      "word": "huzavona"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog",
      "word": "huzakodás"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog",
      "word": "vitatkozás"
    }
  ],
  "word": "back and forth"
}

This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-26 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (93a6c53 and 21a9316). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.