back\ down

back\ down
• back down
• back off
v informal
To give up a claim; not follow up a threat.

Bill said he could beat Ted, but when Ted put up his fists Bill backed down.

Harry claimed Joe had taken his book, but backed down when the teacher talked with him.

Syn.: beat a retreat
Compare: back out, give in, go back on(1)

Словарь американских идиом. — СПб., Изд-во "Лань". . 1997.

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Look at other dictionaries:

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  • back down — ► back down concede defeat. Main Entry: ↑back …   English terms dictionary

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  • back down — verb 1. move backwards from a certain position (Freq. 2) The bully had to back down • Syn: ↑back up, ↑back off • Derivationally related forms: ↑backdown • Hypernyms: ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

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  • back down — PHRASAL VERB If you back down, you withdraw a claim, demand, or commitment that you made earlier, because other people are strongly opposed to it. [V P] The United States had no intention of backing down in its bitter row with the European… …   English dictionary

  • back down — v. (D; intr.) to back down from (they had to back down from their demands) …   Combinatory dictionary

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