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backlash
[ bak-lash ]
/ ˈbækˌlæʃ /
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noun
a sudden, forceful backward movement; recoil.
a strong or violent reaction, as to some social or political change: a backlash of angry feeling among Southern conservatives within the party.
Machinery.
- the space between the thickness of a gear tooth and the width of the space between teeth in the mating gear, designed to allow for a film of lubricant, binding from heat expansion and eccentricity, or manufacturing inaccuracies.
- play or lost motion between loosely fitting machine parts.
Angling. a snarled line on a reel, usually caused by a faulty cast.
verb (used without object)
to make or undergo a backlash.
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THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?
Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…
Words nearby backlash
backing, backing dog, backing light, backing store, back in harness, backlash, backless, backlight, backlighting, back line , backlins
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use backlash in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for backlash
backlash
/ (ˈbækˌlæʃ) /
noun
a reaction or recoil between interacting worn or badly fitting parts in a mechanism
the play between parts
a sudden and adverse reaction, esp to a political or social developmenta public backlash against the government is inevitable
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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