backset

[bak-set]

noun

1. New England, Southern, and South Midland U.S.

   1. a setback; relapse; reverse.

   2. an eddy or countercurrent.

2. (on a lock on a door or the like) the horizontal distance between the face through which the bolt passes and the center line of the knob stem or keyhole.

Word History and Origins

Origin of backset¹

First recorded in 1565–75; back ² + set

Example Sentences

One key measurement is the backset: the distance from the edge of the door to the center of the handle.

Read more on Seattle Times

MacFarlane says it is not necessary to have your door hardware picked out before you order a new door, as long as the door is ordered with a standard cylindrical lock bore for a 2⅜ -inch or 2¾ -inch backset.

Read more on Washington Post

Lenovo Lenovo That doesn’t mean the pen is taking a backset.

Read more on The Verge

He did a good job protecting the backset and blocking shots.

Read more on Seattle Times

One on deadbolt installation, for example, explains the process from multiple angles, and includes an animated explanation of a door’s “backset,” which is the distance from the edge of the door to the center of the hole that holds the deadbolt.

Read more on New York Times