See backwards in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
Download JSON data for backwards meaning in English (5.2kB)
{
"etymology_number": 1,
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{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "backward",
"3": "-s"
},
"expansion": "backward + -s",
"name": "af"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "-s",
"3": "",
"4": "used in the formation of certain adverbs: backwards, downwards, inwards, etc.",
"id": "adverbial"
},
"expansion": "-s (“used in the formation of certain adverbs: backwards, downwards, inwards, etc.”)",
"name": "m"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From backward + -s. See also -s (“used in the formation of certain adverbs: backwards, downwards, inwards, etc.”).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "more backwards",
"tags": [
"comparative"
]
},
{
"form": "most backwards",
"tags": [
"superlative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "backwards (comparative more backwards, superlative most backwards)",
"name": "en-adj"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"back‧wards"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adj",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms suffixed with -s",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
},
{
"_dis": "56 44",
"kind": "other",
"name": "English terms suffixed with -s (adverbial)",
"parents": [],
"source": "w+disamb"
}
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "backwardsness"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of backward; see usage notes there."
],
"id": "en-backwards-en-adj-Q9z6~ucv",
"links": [
[
"backward",
"backward#English"
]
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "see usage notes there",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "backward"
}
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈbækwɜːdz/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈbækwɝdz/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-backwards.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/22/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/22/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"word": "backwards"
}
{
"etymology_number": 2,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "enm",
"3": "bakwardis"
},
"expansion": "Middle English bakwardis",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "bakwardis"
},
"expansion": "bakwardis",
"name": "m"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "bakwarde"
},
"expansion": "Middle English bakwarde",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "bakward",
"t": "backward"
},
"expansion": "bakward (“backward”)",
"name": "m"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "backward",
"3": "-s",
"id2": "adverbial"
},
"expansion": "backward + -s",
"name": "af"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "stq",
"2": "bäkove",
"t": "backwards"
},
"expansion": "Saterland Frisian bäkove (“backwards”)",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English bakwardis, bakwardis, a variant of Middle English bakwarde, bakward (“backward”). Equivalent to backward + -s. Compare Saterland Frisian bäkove (“backwards”).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "more backwards",
"tags": [
"comparative"
]
},
{
"form": "most backwards",
"tags": [
"superlative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "backwards (comparative more backwards, superlative most backwards)",
"name": "en-adv"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"back‧wards"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adv",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [],
"derived": [
{
"word": "look as if one has been dragged through a hedge backwards"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1944 May and June, “When the Circle was Steam Operated”, in Railway Magazine, page 150",
"text": "The length of the stoppages could not well be reduced; indeed, they are already too short if we are to believe the tale now current of a wandering Jew sort of passenger—a lady of advanced years who can only alight from a train backwards. Every time she begins to get out a porter rushes up crying \"Hurry up, ma'am; train's going!\"—and pushes her in again!",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of backward; see usage notes there."
],
"id": "en-backwards-en-adv-Q9z6~ucv",
"links": [
[
"backward",
"backward#English"
]
],
"related": [
{
"word": "outwards"
},
{
"word": "inwards"
},
{
"word": "forwards"
},
{
"word": "sidewards"
},
{
"word": "leewards"
},
{
"word": "windwards"
},
{
"word": "westwards"
},
{
"word": "eastwards"
},
{
"word": "southwards"
},
{
"word": "northwards"
},
{
"word": "shorewards"
},
{
"word": "landwards"
},
{
"word": "seawards"
},
{
"word": "skywards"
},
{
"word": "towards"
},
{
"word": "upwards"
},
{
"word": "downwards"
},
{
"word": "homewards"
},
{
"word": "sternwards"
}
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "see usage notes there",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "backward"
}
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈbækwɜːdz/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈbækwɝdz/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-backwards.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/22/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/22/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"word": "backwards"
}
{
"categories": [
"English 2-syllable words",
"English adjectives",
"English adverbs",
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English terms suffixed with -s",
"English terms suffixed with -s (adverbial)",
"English terms with IPA pronunciation",
"English terms with audio links"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "backwardsness"
}
],
"etymology_number": 1,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "backward",
"3": "-s"
},
"expansion": "backward + -s",
"name": "af"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "-s",
"3": "",
"4": "used in the formation of certain adverbs: backwards, downwards, inwards, etc.",
"id": "adverbial"
},
"expansion": "-s (“used in the formation of certain adverbs: backwards, downwards, inwards, etc.”)",
"name": "m"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From backward + -s. See also -s (“used in the formation of certain adverbs: backwards, downwards, inwards, etc.”).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "more backwards",
"tags": [
"comparative"
]
},
{
"form": "most backwards",
"tags": [
"superlative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "backwards (comparative more backwards, superlative most backwards)",
"name": "en-adj"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"back‧wards"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adj",
"senses": [
{
"glosses": [
"Synonym of backward; see usage notes there."
],
"links": [
[
"backward",
"backward#English"
]
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "see usage notes there",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "backward"
}
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈbækwɜːdz/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈbækwɝdz/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-backwards.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/22/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/22/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"word": "backwards"
}
{
"categories": [
"English 2-syllable words",
"English adverbs",
"English lemmas",
"English terms derived from Middle English",
"English terms inherited from Middle English",
"English terms suffixed with -s (adverbial)",
"English terms with IPA pronunciation",
"English terms with audio links"
],
"derived": [
{
"word": "look as if one has been dragged through a hedge backwards"
}
],
"etymology_number": 2,
"etymology_templates": [
{
"args": {
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"2": "enm",
"3": "bakwardis"
},
"expansion": "Middle English bakwardis",
"name": "inh"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "bakwardis"
},
"expansion": "bakwardis",
"name": "m"
},
{
"args": {
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"2": "bakwarde"
},
"expansion": "Middle English bakwarde",
"name": "cog"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "enm",
"2": "bakward",
"t": "backward"
},
"expansion": "bakward (“backward”)",
"name": "m"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "backward",
"3": "-s",
"id2": "adverbial"
},
"expansion": "backward + -s",
"name": "af"
},
{
"args": {
"1": "stq",
"2": "bäkove",
"t": "backwards"
},
"expansion": "Saterland Frisian bäkove (“backwards”)",
"name": "cog"
}
],
"etymology_text": "From Middle English bakwardis, bakwardis, a variant of Middle English bakwarde, bakward (“backward”). Equivalent to backward + -s. Compare Saterland Frisian bäkove (“backwards”).",
"forms": [
{
"form": "more backwards",
"tags": [
"comparative"
]
},
{
"form": "most backwards",
"tags": [
"superlative"
]
}
],
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {},
"expansion": "backwards (comparative more backwards, superlative most backwards)",
"name": "en-adv"
}
],
"hyphenation": [
"back‧wards"
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "adv",
"related": [
{
"word": "outwards"
},
{
"word": "inwards"
},
{
"word": "forwards"
},
{
"word": "sidewards"
},
{
"word": "leewards"
},
{
"word": "windwards"
},
{
"word": "westwards"
},
{
"word": "eastwards"
},
{
"word": "southwards"
},
{
"word": "northwards"
},
{
"word": "shorewards"
},
{
"word": "landwards"
},
{
"word": "seawards"
},
{
"word": "skywards"
},
{
"word": "towards"
},
{
"word": "upwards"
},
{
"word": "downwards"
},
{
"word": "homewards"
},
{
"word": "sternwards"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English terms with quotations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1944 May and June, “When the Circle was Steam Operated”, in Railway Magazine, page 150",
"text": "The length of the stoppages could not well be reduced; indeed, they are already too short if we are to believe the tale now current of a wandering Jew sort of passenger—a lady of advanced years who can only alight from a train backwards. Every time she begins to get out a porter rushes up crying \"Hurry up, ma'am; train's going!\"—and pushes her in again!",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of backward; see usage notes there."
],
"links": [
[
"backward",
"backward#English"
]
],
"synonyms": [
{
"extra": "see usage notes there",
"tags": [
"synonym",
"synonym-of"
],
"word": "backward"
}
]
}
],
"sounds": [
{
"ipa": "/ˈbækwɜːdz/",
"tags": [
"Received-Pronunciation"
]
},
{
"ipa": "/ˈbækwɝdz/",
"tags": [
"General-American"
]
},
{
"audio": "LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-backwards.wav",
"mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/22/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav.mp3",
"ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/2/22/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav/LL-Q1860_%28eng%29-Vealhurl-backwards.wav.ogg",
"tags": [
"Southern-England"
],
"text": "Audio (Southern England)"
}
],
"word": "backwards"
}
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-21 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-01 using wiktextract (fc4f0c7 and c937495). 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.