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A species of sandpiper (Tringa alpina); -- called also churr, dorbie, grass bird, and red-backed sandpiper. It is found both in Europe and America.

fends off attack or danger; a defense; a protection; a cover; security; shield. Let us be backed with God and with the seas, Which he hath given for fence impregnable. Shak. A fence betwixt us and the victor's wrath. Addison.

Same as Finchbacked.

The European red-backed shrile (Lanius collurio); -- called also flusher.

The red-backed shrike. See Flasher.

Hunched; hump-backed. [Obs.] Sir T. Browne. -- Gib"bous*ly, adv. -- Gib"bous*ness, n.

A humpbacked person; a hunchback.

A back with a hunch or hump; also, a hunchbacked person.

es weighs over a thousand pounds; -- called also leather turtle, leathery turtle, leather-backed tortoise, etc.

A hump-backed person; -- so called sportively. [Eng.] Richardson (Dict.).

A fire-backed pheasant. See Fireback.

harlequin of a puppet show. Punch and Judy, a puppet show in which a comical little hunchbacked Punch, with a large nose, engages in altercation with his wife Judy.

; a buffoon; originally, in a puppet show, a character represented as fat, short, and humpbacked. Spectator.

to Cerura, Harpyia, and allied genera, esp. Harpyia vinuli, of Europe. The larvæ are humpbacked, and have two caudal appendages.

Having the shoulders stooping or projecting; round-backed.

Same as Saddle-backed. Saddleback roof. (Arch.) See Saddle roof, under Saddle.

Having a broad patch of color across the back, like a saddle; saddle-backed.

The black-backed gull.

The black-backed gull (Larus marinus); -- called also swarbie. [Prov. Eng.]

Bent down, and hollow in the back; sway-backed; -- said of a horse. Shak.