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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

ass-backwards en · ADJ

Pronunciation

Etymology

Recorded in the US in the 1930s. From ass + backwards

Meanings

  1. (colloquial) Oriented backwards, particularly after a mishap.
    • The car spun out of control and I ended up ass-backwards in a ditch.
  2. (colloquial, idiomatic) Hopelessly misguided; contrary to what is normal, expected, or logical; having taken the utterly wrong choice.
    • No wonder it doesn't work. The whole design is ass-backwards.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
ass backward alternative lexicographic
ass-backward alternative lexicographic
backasswards alternative lexicographic
ass backwards alternative lexicographic
most ass-backwards Degree=Sup lexicographic
back-asswards alternative lexicographic
bassackwards alternative lexicographic
more ass-backwards Degree=Cmp lexicographic
bass-ackwards alternative lexicographic

ass-backwards en · ADV

Pronunciation

Etymology

Recorded in the US in the 1930s. From ass + backwards

Meanings

  1. (colloquial, not-comparable) Moving backwards, that is, rear end first.
  2. (colloquial, idiomatic, not-comparable) In a hopelessly misguided manner; in a manner contrary to what is normal, expected, or logical.
    • They did the whole design ass-backwards. No wonder it doesn't work.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
ass-backward alternative lexicographic
ass backward alternative lexicographic
bass-ackwards alternative lexicographic
ass backwards alternative lexicographic
backasswards alternative lexicographic
back-asswards alternative lexicographic
bassackwards alternative lexicographic

Relateds

preposterous · put the cart before the horse

Translations (19)

it alla cazzo di cane (in a hopelessly misguided manner) · ru че́рез жопу (in a hopelessly misguided manner) · ru ра́ком (in a hopelessly misguided manner) · it alla carlona (in a hopelessly misguided manner) · de arschlings (moving backwards, that is, rear end first) · sv bakåt (moving backwards, that is, rear end first) · ru ши́ворот-навы́ворот (in a hopelessly misguided manner) · it alla bell’e meglio (in a hopelessly misguided manner) · ru ра́ком (moving backwards, that is, rear end first) · it alla meglio (in a hopelessly misguided manner) · fi perse edellä (moving backwards, that is, rear end first) · es a tuertas (in a hopelessly misguided manner) · sv baklänges (moving backwards, that is, rear end first) · ru за́дом наперёд (moving backwards, that is, rear end first) · fi päin persettä (in a hopelessly misguided manner) · fr en arrière (moving backwards, that is, rear end first) · pl od dupy strony (in a hopelessly misguided manner) · it testacoda (moving backwards, that is, rear end first) · pl od dupy strony (moving backwards, that is, rear end first)