Online Dictionary

back and forth Explained

back and forth at English => English (Moby Thesaurus II) Of Explained:

33 Moby Thesaurus words for "back and forth":
alternate, alternately, back-and-forth, backward and forward,
backwards and forwards, capriciously, changeably, desultorily,
erratically, hitch and hike, in and out, inconstantly,
mutatis mutandis, off and on, on and off, reciprocal, reciprocally,
reciprocative, ride and tie, round and round, seesaw, shuttlewise,
sine wave, to and fro, to-and-fro, uncertainly, unsteadfastly,
unsteadily, up and down, up-and-down, variably, vice versa,
waveringly

Back and forth at English => English (Websters 1913) Of Explained:

Back \Back\, adv. [Shortened from aback.]
1. In, to, or toward, the rear; as, to stand back; to step
back.

2. To the place from which one came; to the place or person
from which something is taken or derived; as, to go back
for something left behind; to go back to one's native
place; to put a book back after reading it.

3. To a former state, condition, or station; as, to go back
to private life; to go back to barbarism.

4. (Of time) In times past; ago. ``Sixty or seventy years
back.'' --Gladstone.

5. Away from contact; by reverse movement.

The angel of the Lord . . . came, and rolled back
the stone from the door. --Matt. xxvii.
2.

6. In concealment or reserve; in one's own possession; as, to
keep back the truth; to keep back part of the money due to
another.

7. In a state of restraint or hindrance.

The Lord hath kept thee back from honor. --Numb.
xxiv. 11.

8. In return, repayment, or requital.

What have I to give you back! --Shak.

9. In withdrawal from a statement, promise, or undertaking;
as, he took back0 the offensive words.

10. In arrear; as, to be back in one's rent. [Colloq.]

{Back and forth}, backwards and forwards; to and fro.

{To go back on}, to turn back from; to abandon; to betray;
as, to go back on a friend; to go back on one's
professions. [Colloq.]

Forth \Forth\, v.[AS. for[eth], fr. for akin to D. voort, G.
fort [root]78. See {Fore}, {For}, and cf. {Afford},
{Further}, adv.]
1. Forward; onward in time, place, or order; in advance from
a given point; on to end; as, from that day forth; one,
two, three, and so forth.

Lucas was Paul's companion, at the leastway from the
sixteenth of the Acts forth. --Tyndale.

From this time forth, I never will speak word.
--Shak.

I repeated the Ave Maria; the inquisitor bad me say
forth; I said I was taught no more. --Strype.

2. Out, as from a state of concealment, retirement,
confinement, nondevelopment, or the like; out into notice
or view; as, the plants in spring put forth leaves.

When winter past, and summer scarce begun, Invites
them forth to labor in the sun. --Dryden.

3. Beyond a (certain) boundary; away; abroad; out.

I have no mind of feasting forth to-night. --Shak.

4. Throughly; from beginning to end. [Obs.] --Shak.

{And so forth}, {Back and forth}, {From forth}. See under
{And}, {Back}, and {From}.

{Forth of}, {Forth from}, out of. [Obs.] --Shak.

{To bring forth}. See under {Bring}.

back and forth at English => English (WordNet) Of Explained:

back and forth
adv : moving from one place to another and back again; "he
traveled back and forth between Los Angeles and New
York" [syn: {backward and forward}, {to and fro}]

back and forth at English (WD) Of Explained:

==English==

Alternative forms

* back-and-forth

Adverb

Inter: head » en|adverb|head=back and forth
  • From one place to another and back again.

    Translations

    Inter: trans-top » from one place to another and back again
    • Arabic: Inter: t- » ar|ذهابا وإيابا|tr=ḏahāban wa-ʾiyāban|alt=ذهابًا وإيابًا|sc=Arab
    • Chinese:
    • : Mandarin: Inter: t » cmn|來回|sc=Hani, Inter: t » cmn|来回|tr=láihuí|sc=Hani
    • Finnish: Inter: t- » fi|edestakaisin
    • French: Inter: t+ » fr|aller-retour|m, Inter: t+ » fr|va-et-vient|m
    • German: Inter: t- » de|hin und her
    • Italian: Inter: t- » it|avanti e indietro
    • Japanese: Inter: t- » ja|行ったり来たり|tr=いったりきたり, ittari-kitari|sc=Jpan


    Inter: trans-mi » d
  • Portuguese: Inter: t- » pt|vai e vem|m, Inter: t- » pt|vaivém|m
  • Russian: Inter: t- » ru|туда и обратно|tr=tudá i obrátno|sc=Cyrl, Inter: t+ » ru|туда-сюда|sc=Cyrl|tr=tudá-sjudá Inter: qualifier » fast movement, possibly aimless, Inter: t- » ru|взад-вперёд|tr=vzad-vperjód|sc=Cyrl Inter: qualifier » fast movement, possibly aimless
  • Serbo-Croatian: Inter: t- » sh|amo-tamo
  • Turkish: Inter: t- » tr|ileri geri
  • Vietnamese: Inter: t+ » vi|tới lui

  • Inter: trans-botto » m

    Adjective

    Inter: en-adj » -
  • Going from one place or position to another and back again.
    1. : The back and forth movement of the tide causes erosion of the coastline.

      Translations

      Inter: trans-top » going from one place to another and back again

  • Finnish: Inter: t- » fi|edestakainen

  • Inter: trans-mi » d
    Inter: trans-botto » m

    Noun

    Inter: en-nou » n
  • The movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position. May refer to a concept such as an emotional state or a relationship as well as a physical thing.
    1. Inter: quote-book »


    |year=2009
    |author=Dorothy Rich
    |coauthor=Beverly Mattox
    |title=Megaskills for Babies, Toddlers, and Beyond: Building Your Child's Happiness
    |page=43
    |passage=Roll the ball to your child, who then rolls it back to you. After a few back-and-forths, roll the ball to a nearby corner of the room or other hiding place.
    1. Inter: idiomati » c Negotiations or discussions between two or more parties, a dialog.
    2. Inter: quote-journal »


    |year=1895
    |author=United States Congress
    |title=Congressional serial set
    |volume=11214
    |page=718
    |passage=There's some back and forth between Simpson and his CIA counterparts and, in essence, the CIA says that you must ship all of the quantities requested.

    Synonyms

    * Inter: sense » negotiations tug of war

    Translations

    Inter: trans-top » movement (of someone or something) forward followed by a return to the same position
    • Chinese:
    • : Mandarin: Inter: t » cmn|往返|tr=wǎng-fǎn|sc=Hani, Inter: t » cmn|來回|sc=Hani, Inter: t » cmn|来回|tr=láihuí|sc=Hani
    • Esperanto: Inter: t- » eo|oscilo


    Inter: trans-mi » d
  • Finnish: edestakainen Inter: t+ » fi|liike
  • French: Inter: t+ » fr|va-et-vient|m
  • Japanese: Inter: t- » ja|行ったり来たり|tr=いったりきたり, ittari-kitari|sc=Jpan

  • Inter: trans-botto » m

    See also

    * to and fro
    Category: Category:English merisms -
    Translation: et » back and forth
    Translation: fr » back and forth
    Translation: ku » back and forth
    Translation: lt » back and forth
    Translation: hu » back and forth
    Translation: my » back and forth
    Translation: pl » back and forth
    Translation: sv » back and forth