quarterback

[ kwawr-ter-bak ]
See synonyms for: quarterbackquarterbackedquarterbacking on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a back in football who usually lines up immediately behind the center and directs the offense of the team.

  2. the position played by this back.

  1. a person who leads or directs a group or activity.

verb (used with object)
  1. to direct the offense of (a team).

  2. to lead or direct: to quarterback a public-relations campaign.

verb (used without object)
  1. to play the position of quarterback.

Origin of quarterback

1
An Americanism dating back to 1875–80; quarter + back1

Words Nearby quarterback

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use quarterback in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for quarterback

quarterback

/ (ˈkwɔːtəˌbæk) /


nounUS and Canadian
  1. a player in American or Canadian football, positioned usually behind the centre, who directs attacking play

  2. Monday-morning quarterbacking wisdom after the event, esp by spectators

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012