back up

Verb
Synonyms: supportback offback downbackclogchoke offclog upcongestchokefoulcrap up

Open English WordNet

Verb (5)

  1. give moral or psychological support, aid, or courage to“She supported him during the illness”“Her children always backed her up”Synonyms: supportMore general act, moveMore specific help, promote, sponsor, second, patronize, undergird, root
  2. move backwards from a certain position“The bully had to back down”Synonyms: back offback downMore general withdraw, retreat
  3. establish as valid or genuine“Can you back up your claims?”Synonyms: backMore general confirm, corroborate
  4. make a copy of (a computer file) especially for storage in another place as a security copy“You'd better back up these files!”More general copy, re-create
  5. become or cause to become obstructed“The leaves clog our drains in the Fall”“The water pipe is backed up”Synonyms: clogchoke offclog upcongestchokefoulcrap upOpposite unclogMore general obstruct, obturateMore specific silt up, stuff, gum up

Related words supportive adjective, support noun, supporter noun, withdrawal noun, backup noun, clog noun

Word of the day · Nov 9About this word
inexorableadjective

What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz

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Webster's Dictionary (1913)

back′ up intransitive verb

1. to move in a reverse direction; — used of vehicles or animals.

2. to accumulate due to a blockage of flow; as, a traffic backup due to an accident; a sewage backup.

back′ up transitive verb

1. to serve as a backup{3} for (another person or persons); as, the patrolmen backed up the detectives as they went inside to make the arrest; the center fielder backed up the shortstop on the play.

2. Computers to make a backup{5} of; as, the sysop backed up the purchasing data files every night.

Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54 · with additions: GCIDE editors

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