verb
Meaning 1
To maintain distance.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- You had better stand back and let me operate the chainsaw.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Phrase guide
stand back
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
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verb
Meaning 2
To abstain from participation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Examples
- While others debated the proposals, he stood back.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
(of a wicket-keeper) to stand a long way behind the wicket so as to catch balls from a fast bowler
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
Topics: ball-games, cricket, games, hobbies, lifestyle, sports
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
stand away from an object or person
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- He stood back to look at her
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: stand, stand up
verb
Meaning 5
stay clear of, avoid
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- Keep your hands off my wife!
- Keep your distance from this man--he is dangerous
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: keep one's eyes off, keep one's distance, keep one's hands off, stay away
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: be
History
Etymology
No etymology was provided for this word.
Across languages
Translations
31 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Armenian: ետ կանգնել (et kangnel) — maintain a safe distance
- Chinese Mandarin: 保持距離 /保持距离 (bǎochí jùlí) — maintain a safe distance
- Finnish: katsoa vierestä — maintain a safe distance
- French: reculer — maintain a safe distance
- German: zurückbleiben — maintain a safe distance
- German: zurücktreten — maintain a safe distance
- Portuguese: distanciar-se — maintain a safe distance
- Portuguese: ir para trás — maintain a safe distance
- Portuguese: afastar-se — maintain a safe distance
- Portuguese: sair de perto — maintain a safe distance
- Portuguese: dar espaço — maintain a safe distance
- Portuguese: dar distância — maintain a safe distance
- Portuguese: recuar — maintain a safe distance
- Portuguese: ficar de longe — maintain a safe distance
- Portuguese: ficar afastado — maintain a safe distance
- Russian: держа́ться сза́ди (deržátʹsja szádi) — maintain a safe distance
- Russian: отступа́ть (otstupátʹ) — maintain a safe distance
- Russian: отступи́ть (otstupítʹ) — maintain a safe distance
- Russian: отходи́ть (otxodítʹ) — maintain a safe distance
- Russian: отойти́ (otojtí) — maintain a safe distance
- Armenian: ձեռնպահ մնալ (jeṙnpah mnal) — to abstain from participation
- Armenian: չմասնակցել (čʻmasnakcʻel) — to abstain from participation
- Chinese Mandarin: 不介入 (bù jièrù) — to abstain from participation
- Chinese Mandarin: 置身事外 (zhìshēnshìwài) — to abstain from participation
- French: se taire — to abstain from participation
- French: s'abstenir — to abstain from participation
- German: zurückhalten — to abstain from participation
- Portuguese: ficar de fora — to abstain from participation
- Russian: остава́ться в стороне́ (ostavátʹsja v storoné) — to abstain from participation
- Russian: не вме́шиваться (ne vméšivatʹsja) — to abstain from participation
- Vietnamese: đứng ngoài — to abstain from participation