back away
Idioms-
Walk backward, as in He cautiously backed away from the fire .
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Gradually retreat, withdraw, as in Since he couldn't convince his colleagues, he's backing away from his original idea . Both usages employ the verb back in the sense of “retreat,” dating from the late 1400s. Also see back down ; back out .
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
She backed away, beady eyes welling with tears.
From Literature
If one encounters a potentially dangerous snake, stop and back away, keeping a good distance from the snake.
From Los Angeles Times
Too weak to run, the cub backed away.
From Literature
He released me then and backed away, his hands in the air again.
From Literature
“I already saw the news today,” I stammer, backing away from her bright, glassy eyes.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
