B
Idioms beginning with "B"
Part of speech, explanation, example sentences, pronunciation
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Contents of B:
[back in circulation] {adv. phr.}
1. Socially active once again (said about people); back on the dating circuit after a divorce or a romantic breakup.
Now that Sully is divorced from Jim she is hack in circulation.
2. Once again available to the […]
[back number] {n.}
Something out of fashion, or out of date.
Among today's young people a waltz like "The Blue Danube" is a hack number.
[backfire] {v.}
To misfire; to have a reverse effect from what was intended.
Mimi's gossip about the Head of the Department backfired wizen people began to mistrust her.
[backhanded compliment] {n. phr.}
A remark that sounds like a compliment but is said sarcastically.
"Not bad for a girl" the coach said, offering a backhanded compliment.
[back of] or [in back of] {prep.}
1. In or at the rear of; to the back of; behind.
The garage is hack of the house.
Our car was in hack of theirs at the traffic light.
2. {informal}
Being a cause or reason for; causing.
* /Hard work was […]
[back out] {v. phr.}
1. To move backwards out of a place or enclosure.
Bob slowly backed his car out of the garage.
2. To withdraw from an activity one has promised to carry out.
* /Jim tried to back out of the engagement with Jane, but she […]
[backseat driver] {n.}, {informal}
A bossy person in a car who always tells the driver what to do.
The man who drove the car became angry with the back seat driver.
[back street] {n.}
A street not near the main streets or from which it is hard to get to a main street.
We got lost in the back streets going through the city and it took us a half hour to find our way again.
Compare: [SIDE STREET].
[back talk] {n.}
A sassy, impudent reply.
Such back talk will get you nowhere, young man!
See: [TALK BACK].