backs out

Verb

back out (third-person singular simple present backs out, present participle backing out, simple past and past participle backed out)

1. (transitive) To reverse (a vehicle) from a confined space.
   • He backed out of the garage.
2. (intransitive) To withdraw from something one has agreed to do.
   • She backed out of organizing the fund-raising.
3. (transitive) To convince (someone) to withdraw from a challenge.
   • "I can back you out."
     "How? Doin' what?" they asked.
     "Crossing the canal on the pole."
     "Shucks, you can't back me out," declared one of the boys, at which he darted across the swaying pole, and with a jump, landed safely across. Another boy went at it gingerly, and with the antics of a tight-rope...1921, Nephi Anderson, chapter 1, in Dorian
4. To bet on someone losing.
   • Whatever you throw is your chance. I called five for the main, which is the out chance, and threw seven to it, which is the in chance. If I throw five first, I lose, and if seven I win. You can back me in by betting the odds, or you can back me out, by taking the odds, the bank answers either way.1921, Henry Luttrell, Crockford's : Or Life in the West Sketch No. III
5. (transitive) To undo (a change).
   • I had to back out the changes made to the computer when it became apparent that they had stopped it working properly.
6. (intransitive) To exit a mode or function.
   • I chose that menu option by accident, so I pressed Escape to back out.

See all 7 meanings of back out