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Literally, the letters of a word read backwards, but in its usual wider sense, the change or one word or phrase into another by the transposition of its letters. Thus Galenus becomes angelus; William Noy (attorney-general to Charles I., and a laborious man) may be turned into I moyl in law.

is awash, when it is hove up to the surface of the water. -- At anchor, anchored. -- To back an anchor, to increase the holding power by laying down a small anchor ahead of that by which the ship rides, with the cable fastened to the crown of the latter to prevent its coming home. -- To cast anchor, to drop or let g…

Having the extremities turned back, like the flukes of an anchor; as, an anchored cross. [Sometimes spelt ancred.]

non, or the elbow. Ancon sheep (Zoöl.), a breed of sheep with short crooked legs and long back. It originated in Massachusetts in 1791; -- called also the otter breed.

Characterized by unequal toes, three turned forward and one backward, as in most passerine birds.

A combining form meaning anterior, front; as, antero-posterior, front and back; antero-lateral, front side, anterior and at the side.

iate Mollusca, in which the gills form a wreath or cluster upon the posterior part of the back. See Nudibranchiata, and Doris.

A cover for the back or arms of a chair or sofa, etc., to prevent them from being soiled by macassar or other oil from the hair.

orated; a hole; as, an aperture in a wall. An aperture between the mountains. Gilpin. The back aperture of the nostrils. Owen.

creed of unknown origin, which was formerly ascribed to the apostles. It certainly dates back to the beginning of the sixth century, and some assert that it can be found in the writings of Ambrose in the fourth century. -- Apostle spoon (Antiq.), a spoon of silver, with the handle terminating in the figure of an apos…

enances; sometimes open, serving as an entrance or to give light; sometimes closed at the back (as in the cut) and forming a decorative feature.

Backward; in or to the rear; behindhand. Spenser.

To or in the rear; behind; backwards. [Obs.] Spenser.

A scurfiness of the back part of the hind leg of a horse; -- also named rat-tails. White. Arrest of judgment (Law), the staying or stopping of a judgment, after verdict, for legal cause. The motion for this purpose is called a motion in arrest of judgment.

tude of a planet. Ferguson. -- Ascending line (Geneol.), the line of relationship traced backward or through one's ancestors. One's father and mother, grandfather and grandmother, etc., are in the line direct ascending. -- Ascending node having, that node of the moon or a planet wherein it passes the ecliptic to proc…

To refer something to its cause or source; as, to attribute a backward spring to icebergs off the coast. Ascribe is used equally in both these senses, but involves a different image. To impute usually denotes to ascribe something doubtful or wrong, and hence, in general literature, has commonly a bad sense; as, to impu…

In or at the hinder part of a ship; toward the hinder part, or stern; backward; as, to go astern.

With one leg on each side, as a man when on horseback; with the legs stretched wide apart; astraddle. Placed astride upon the bars of the palisade. Sir W. Scott. Glasses with horn bows sat astride on his nose. Longfellow.

The part of the neck nearest the back.

Turned away or backward. [Obs.] The tracks averse a lying notice gave, And led the searcher backward from the cave. Dryden.