back vs backward

back

adv
  • In a direction opposite to that in which someone or something is facing or normally pointing. 

  • In a direction opposite to the usual or desired direction of movement or progress, physically or figuratively. 

  • So as to reverse direction and return. 

  • Away from someone or something; at a distance. 

  • Away from the front or from an edge. 

  • In a manner that impedes. 

  • In a reciprocal manner; in return. 

  • So as shrink, recede or move aside, or cause to do so. 

  • To a later point in time. See also put back. 

  • Towards, into or in the past. 

  • To or in a previous condition or place. 

  • Earlier, ago. 

postp
  • Before now; ago. 

verb
  • To go in the reverse direction. 

  • To lay out a second, smaller anchor to provide additional holding power. 

  • To push or force backwards. 

  • To adjoin behind; to be at the back of. 

  • To support. 

  • To stand still behind another dog which has pointed. 

  • To brace the yards so that the wind presses on the front of the sail, to slow the ship. 

  • To change direction contrary to the normal pattern; that is, to shift anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, or clockwise in the southern hemisphere. 

  • To make a back for; to furnish with a back. 

  • To write upon the back of, possibly as an endorsement. 

  • To sign or endorse (a warrant, issued in another county, to apprehend an offender). 

  • To draw from behind the back [+accusative = a knife etc.] (as also back out). 

  • To row backward with (oars). 

  • To carry an infant on one's back. 

adj
  • Pronounced with the highest part of the body of the tongue toward the back of the mouth, near the soft palate (most often describing a vowel). 

  • Not current. 

  • Situated away from the main or most frequented areas. 

  • At or near the rear. 

  • Returned or restored to a previous place or condition. 

  • Moving or operating backward. 

  • In arrears; overdue. 

noun
  • Effort, usually physical. 

  • The reverse side; the side that is not normally seen. 

  • The keel and keelson of a ship. 

  • A large shallow vat; a cistern, tub, or trough, used by brewers, distillers, dyers, picklers, gluemakers, and others, for mixing or cooling wort, holding water, hot glue, etc. 

  • The part of something that goes last. 

  • The spine and associated tissues. 

  • The backrest, the part of a piece of furniture which receives the human back. 

  • A ferryboat. 

  • The roof of a horizontal underground passage. 

  • Large and attractive buttocks. 

  • The inside margin of a page. 

  • The edge of a book which is bound. 

  • In some team sports, a position behind most players on the team. 

  • A support or resource in reserve. 

  • The rear of the body, especially the part between the neck and the end of the spine and opposite the chest and belly. 

  • A non-alcoholic drink (often water or a soft drink), to go with hard liquor or a cocktail. 

  • Among leather dealers, one of the thickest and stoutest tanned hides. 

  • Area behind, such as the backyard of a house. 

  • The side of a blade opposite the side used for cutting. 

  • The side of any object which is opposite the front or useful side. 

  • That which is farthest away from the front. 

  • The part of a piece of clothing which covers the back. 

  • Upper part of a natural object which is considered to resemble an animal's back. 

backward

adv
  • In a direction opposite to that in which someone or something is facing or normally pointing. 

  • In a direction opposite to the usual direction of movement. 

  • At, near or towards the rear of something. 

  • Oppositely to the desired direction of progress, or from a better to a worse state. 

  • In a reversed orientation; back to front. 

  • Toward or into the past; 

  • By way of reflection; reflexively. 

  • In a reversed order or sequence. 

noun
  • The state behind or past. 

adj
  • Acting or moving in the direction opposite to the usual direction of movement. 

  • Of a pawn, further behind than pawns of the same colour on adjacent files and unable to be moved forward safely. 

  • Further behind the batsman's popping crease than something else. 

  • Late or behindhand. 

  • Situated toward or at the rear of something. 

  • Lacking progressive or enlightened thought; outdated. 

  • On that part of the field behind the batsman's popping crease. 

  • Slow to apprehend; having difficulties in learning. 

  • Reluctant or unable to advance or act. 

  • Acting or moving in the direction opposite to that in which someone or something is facing. 

  • Acting or moving oppositely to the desired direction of progress. 

  • Reversed in order or sequence. 

  • Of a culture, country, practice etc., undeveloped or unsophisticated. 

How often have the words back and backward occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )