noun
Meaning 1
The act of backtracking.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
backtrack
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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/ˈbæk.tɹæk/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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CMU ARPABET: B AE1 K T R AE2 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
verb
Meaning 2
To retrace one's steps.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- I dropped my sunglasses and had to backtrack to find them.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To repeat or review work already done.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- If we backtrack through this problem, maybe we can figure out where we went wrong.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To taxi down an active runway in the opposite direction to that being used for takeoff.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: aeronautics, aerospace, aviation, business, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences
Examples
- Speedbird One: enter and backtrack Runway 27 Left.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To exercise a racehorse around the racetrack in the opposite direction to that in which races are run.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 6
To go back on or withdraw a statement.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
- After enormous public outrage, the government backtracked on its proposed ban.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: backpedal
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
retrace one's course
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The hikers got into a storm and had to turn back
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: turn back, double back
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: return
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bheg-der.? Proto-Germanic *baką Proto-West Germanic *bak Old English bæc Middle English bak English back English track English backtrack From back + track.
Across languages
Translations
40 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: отстъпка (otstǎpka) — the act of backtracking
- Finnish: paluu — the act of backtracking
- Finnish: peruutus — the act of backtracking
- Greek: οπισθοδρόμηση (opisthodrómisi) — the act of backtracking
- Italian: retrocessione — the act of backtracking
- Polish: cofanie się — the act of backtracking
- Spanish: retroceso — the act of backtracking
- Bulgarian: връщам се (vrǎštam se) — retracing one's steps
- Bulgarian: отстъпвам (otstǎpvam) — retracing one's steps
- Catalan: tornar-se'n enrere — retracing one's steps
- Catalan: desfer el camí — retracing one's steps
- Catalan: retrocedir — retracing one's steps
- Catalan: recular — retracing one's steps
- Danish: gå tilbage — retracing one's steps
- Finnish: palata — retracing one's steps
- Finnish: palata samaa tietä — retracing one's steps
- Finnish: mennä takaisin — retracing one's steps
- French: retourner sur ses pas — retracing one's steps
- French: revenir sur ses pas — retracing one's steps
- Italian: arretrare — retracing one's steps
- Italian: retrocedere — retracing one's steps
- Occitan: tornar sul rèire-pè — retracing one's steps
- Polish: cofać się — retracing one's steps
- Polish: cofnąć się — retracing one's steps
- Polish: wycofywać się — retracing one's steps
- Polish: wycofać się — retracing one's steps
- Russian: отходи́ть (otxodítʹ) — retracing one's steps
- Russian: отступа́ть (otstupátʹ) — retracing one's steps
- Spanish: retroceder — retracing one's steps
- Swedish: gå tillbaka — retracing one's steps
- Finnish: käydä läpi — reviewing previous work
- Italian: analizzare — reviewing previous work
- Italian: ripassare — reviewing previous work
- Italian: rivedere — reviewing previous work
- Polish: robić ponownie — reviewing previous work
- Polish: zrobić ponownie — reviewing previous work
- Spanish: repasar — reviewing previous work
- Finnish: rullata takaisinpäin — taxiing the opposite way down a runway
- Italian: parcheggiare contropista — taxiing the opposite way down a runway
- Polish: kołować wstecz — taxiing the opposite way down a runway