back out

verb

1. move out of a space backwards (Freq. 2)

-

He backed out of the driveway

• Hypernyms: ↑back

• Verb Frames:

-

Somebody ——s

-

Somebody ——s PP

2. make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity

-

We'll have to crawfish out from meeting with him

-

He backed out of his earlier promise

-

The aggressive investment company pulled in its horns

• Syn:

↑retreat, ↑pull back, ↑back away, ↑crawfish, ↑crawfish out, ↑pull in one's horns, ↑withdraw

• Derivationally related forms: ↑withdrawer (for: ↑withdraw), ↑withdrawal (for: ↑withdraw)

• Verb Group:

↑withdraw, ↑retreat, ↑pull away, ↑draw back, ↑recede, ↑pull back, ↑retire, ↑move back

• Verb Frames:

-

Somebody ——s

* * *

[verb]

often with of

withdraw, abandon, cancel, give up, go back on, resign, retreat

* * *

I. intransitive verb

Etymology: back (IV) + out

: to withdraw especially from an agreement, commitment, or contest — often used with of

back out of a fight

agreed to come, then backed out

backed out of their treaty obligations

II. noun

: the act or an instance of backing out of something

a fight from which there was no chance of a back out

* * *

back out

1. To move out backwards

2. To evade an obligation or undertaking

• • •

Main Entry: ↑back

* * *

ˌback ˈout [intransitive] [present tense I/you/we/they back out he/she/it backs out present participle backing out past tense backed out past participle backed out] phrasal verb

to decide not to do something you agreed to do

I promised to help and I’m not backing out now.

back out of:

We’re hoping that no one will back out of the deal.

Thesaurus: to decide not to do or have something_synonym to not keep a promise_synonym

Main entry: back

* * *

withdraw from a commitment

if he backs out of the deal they'll sue him

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back out [phrasal verb]

: to decide not to do something that you had agreed to do

The deal fell through when investors backed out.

— often + of

The investors backed out of the deal.

• • •

Main Entry: ↑back