the relative position or standing of things or especially persons in a society; "he had the status of a minor"; "the novel attained the status of a classic"; "atheists do not enjoy a favorable position in American life"
having existence or being or actuality; "an attempt to refine the existent machinery to make it more efficient"; "much of the beluga caviar existing in the world is found in the Soviet Union and Iran"
a pernicious and malign influence that is hard to get rid of; "racism is a pestilence at the heart of the nation"; "according to him, I was the canker in their midst"
the act of leaving secretly or without explanation
the event of passing out of sight
ceasing to exist; "he regretted the disappearance of Greek from school curricula"; "what was responsible for the disappearance of the rainforest?"; "the disappearance of resistance at very low temperatures"
the position of a player on a football team who is stationed behind the line of scrimmage
a support that you can lean against while sitting; "the back of the dental chair was adjustable"
the part of a garment that covers the back of your body; "they pinned a `kick me' sign on his back"
the posterior part of a human (or animal) body from the neck to the end of the spine; "his back was nicely tanned"
the part of something that is furthest from the normal viewer; "he stood at the back of the stage"; "it was hidden in the rear of the store"
(football) a person who plays in the backfield
in or to or toward a past time; "set the clocks back an hour"; "never look back"; "lovers of the past looking fondly backward"
at or to or toward the back or rear; "he moved back"; "tripped when he stepped backward"; "she looked rearward out the window of the car"
in repayment or retaliation; "we paid back everything we had borrowed"; "he hit me and I hit him back"; "I was kept in after school for talking back to the teacher"
in or to or toward a former location; "she went back to her parents' house"
in or to or toward an original condition; "he went back to sleep"
in answer; "he wrote back three days later"; "had little to say in reply to the questions"
strengthen by providing with a back or backing
establish as valid or genuine; "Can you back up your claims?"
shift to a counterclockwise direction; "the wind backed"
travel backward; "back into the driveway"; "The car backed up and hit the tree"
cause to travel backward; "back the car into the parking spot"
support financial backing for; "back this enterprise"
be behind; approve of; "He plumped for the Labor Party"; "I backed Kennedy in 1960"