back door

British  

noun

1. a door at the rear or side of a building

2. 1. a means of entry to a job, position, etc, that is secret, underhand, or obtained through influence

   2. ( as modifier )

      a backdoor way of making firms pay more

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back door Idioms  

1. An entry at the rear of a building, as in Deliveries are supposed to be made at the back door only . [First half of 1500s]

2. A clandestine, unauthorized, or illegal way of operating. For example, Salesmen are constantly trying to push their products by offering special gifts through the back door . This term alludes to the fact that the back door cannot be seen from the front. [Late 1500s]

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Example Sentences

She said it was disappointing to see a number of hereditary peers returning to the Lords "by the back door".

From BBC

Dad shoots me a thumbs-up as he follows Teddy out the back door, and Brie takes a seat at the kitchen table, motioning for me to join her.

From Literature

“My attitude when I came to this town was if you can’t get in through the front door, go in the back door,” Leno said.

From Los Angeles Times

After a December 2015 terrorist attack in San Bernardino, Calif., the Federal Bureau of Investigation tried to compel Apple to build a universal back door into the iPhone.

From The Wall Street Journal

I hid my net behind a big lilac bush in Grandma’s front yard, walked around the house, and came in through the back door.

From Literature

Related Words

• side door