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Origin and history of backward

backward(adv.)

"with the face to the rear, in the direction behind," c. 1300, from abakward, from Old English on bæc (see back (adv.), and compare aback) + -weard adjectival and adverbial suffix (see -ward). As an adverb, Old English had bæcling.

As an adjective, from 1550s. The meaning "behindhand with regard to progress" is attested from 1690s. To ring bells backward (from lowest to highest), c. 1500, was a signal of alarm for fire or invasion, or to express dismay. Another Middle English word for "backward, wrongly" was arseward (c. 1400); Old English had earsling.

also from c. 1300

Entries linking to backward

aback(adv.)

c. 1200, "toward the rear," a contraction of Old English on bæc "backward, behind, at or on the back;" see a- (1) + back (n.). Now surviving mainly in taken aback, which originally was a nautical expression in reference to a vessel's square sails when a sudden change of wind flattens them back against the masts and stops the forward motion (1754). The figurative sense from this, "suddenly or unexpectedly checked or disappointed," is by 1792.

back(adv.)

"to or toward the rear or the original starting place; in the past; behind in position," literally or figuratively, late 14c., shortened from abak, from Old English on bæc "backwards, behind, aback" (see back (n.), and compare aback). To give (something) back is to give it again, to give it in the opposite direction to that in which it was formerly given. Adverbial phrase back and forth is attested by 1814.

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reverse
c. 1300, "opposite, contrary in position or direction, turned backward," from Old French revers "reverse, cross, opposite...In reference to a gear mechanism enabling a vehicle to go backward without changing the rotation of the engine, by 1875....
diddle
From 1806 as "to cheat, swindle" (slang); also dialectal duddle, diddle "to totter" (1630s); "move rapidly up and down or backward...
recede
Sense of "to have a backward inclination, slope, or tendency" is by 1866. Related: Receded; receding....
reciprocate
Sense of "cause to move back and forth" is from 1650s; intransitive sense of "move backward and forward" is from 1670s....
regress
In astronomy, "appear to move in a backward direction," by 1823....
scrape
From 1620s as a type of awkward bow or gesture of obeisance, in which the foot is drawn, or "scraped," backward....
retreat
c. 1300, retrete, "a step backward;" late 14c., "act of retiring or withdrawing; military signal for retiring from action...
froward
12c., froward, fraward "turned against, perverse, disobedient; peevish, petulant; adverse, difficult," as a preposition, "away from," the Northern form of Old English fromweard (see fromward), with Old Norse fra (see fro) in place of English from. Opposite of toward, it renders L
kite
European bird of prey, inferior hawk (Milvus ictinus, but applied elsewhere to similar birds), Old English cyta, probably imitative of its cry (compare ciegan "to call," German Kauz "screech owl"). Of persons who prey on others, 1550s. The toy kite, a light frame covered with pap
forlorn
mid-12c., forloren "disgraced, depraved," past participle of obsolete forlesan "be deprived of, lose, abandon," from Old English forleosan "to lose, abandon, let go; destroy, ruin," from for- "completely" + leosan "to lose" (from Proto-Germanic *lausa-, from PIE root *leu- "to lo

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