adj (1) 向后的(aimed or directed towards the back， the beginning or the past)[无comp][作attrib]： a～look/glance/somersault 向后看/回眸/倒翻的筋斗;take a～jump 往后一跳;a～tumble 向后跌倒;a～jerk of one's head 向后猛扬头;〖反〗forward;

(2) 倒行的 (returning; moving towards the starting point) [无comp] [作attrib]：a～journey/flow of the tide 返程/潮水的回涌;〖同〗reverse;〖反〗forward;

(3) 落后的，进步慢的 (having made or making less than normal progress)：～countries/nations 落后国家;the～parts (areas/regions) of the country/the world/Africa 这个国家/世界上/非洲的落后地区;the～peoples of the world 世界上的落后民族;be～in one's study 学习上进步慢;be～for one's age 发育得落后于年龄; a～child 发育迟缓的小孩子; be～as a child 小时长得慢;～learners 落后的学习者;Is the boy～or lazy? 这孩子是迟钝还是懒?〖同〗undeveloped，slow;〖反〗advanced，quick;

(4) 腼腆的，犹疑的;没有自信的 (shy; reluctant; hesitant; unsure of oneself) [A(in)][作pred]：be～in expressing one's ideas犹疑不敢表达思想;Why do you act so～with strangers? 你为什么在生人面前这么腼腆? 〖同〗shy，hesitant;〖反〗bold;

→′backwardly adv 向后;落后地; ′backwardness n 落后;迟钝;

adv (BrE～s) (1) 向后 (away from one's front; towards the back or what is behind one)：look/glance/somersault～向后看/看一眼/翻筋斗;take a step～后退一步;〖同〗rearward;〖反〗forward，frontward;

(2) 背朝前地，倒着 (with one's back facing the direction one is going in)：It's not easy to walk/to run/to crawl/to jump～. 倒退着走/跑/爬/跳是不容易的。dig its way～into the ground with the hind legs 用后腿刨土倒退着进到地里;〖反〗forward;

(3) 倒，逆，反方向 (in the wrong way round)：put on one's hat/one's shirt～把帽子戴倒了/衬衣前后穿反了;count～from 10 to 1 倒着从10数到1;

(4) 退步 (from a better toward a worse or an earlier state)：Instead of progressing， my work is/we are actually going～. 我的工作/我们没有进步， 实际上反而是在退步。take a journey～through time 回顾以往;The country is drifting steadily～. 这个国家一直在倒退。

backward(s) and forward(s) 来回(往返)地：go/walk/pace/stroll/travel～s and forward(s) 往返地走/走/踱步/溜达/旅行;

bend/lean over backward(s) 竭尽全力：They would bend over～to get him a ticket in any possible way. 他们会竭尽全力给他弄一张票的。

know sth backward(s) 彻底了解：You've been there so many times you must know it～by now. 你去过那儿这么多次了，现在对那地方一定是了如指掌。know a city/the history～对一个城市/历史了如指掌;

【说明】后缀-ward和-wards都表示“方向”，前者可构成形容词，也可构成副词(AmE或fml BrE中)，如：forward，backward，downward，upward，outward，inward，eastward，westward，homeward等;后者只能构成副词(BrE中)，如：forwards等等。试对比：He travelled westward/westwards. He travelled in a westward direction.