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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

backfill en · NOUN

Pronunciation

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.? Proto-Germanic *baką Proto-West Germanic *bak Old English bæc Middle English bak English back English fill English backfill From back + fill.

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) The material that has been used to refill an excavation.
  2. (US, countable, uncountable) Reserve support personnel.
  3. (US, countable, uncountable) That which backfills; a replacement.
  4. (countable, uncountable) Material in a story set earlier in the past, providing history or context for the current action.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
back-fill alternative lexicographic
backfills Number=Plur lexicographic

Deriveds

backfill bias

backfill en · VERB

Pronunciation

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeg-der.? Proto-Germanic *baką Proto-West Germanic *bak Old English bæc Middle English bak English back English fill English backfill From back + fill.

Meanings

  1. To refill a hole with the material dug out of it.
    • Clay excavated for the new river channel has been used to backfill the old watercourse, while embankment vegetation was also moved from the old channel to the new in order to preserve a habitat for the rare Four Spotted Moths that live there. 2020 April 8, Paul Stephen, “ECML dive-under drives divergence”, in Rail, page 43:
  2. To refill an excavation unit to restore the former ground surface and/or to preserve the unit and make it recognizable as having been excavated.
    • We backfilled the cistern with pea gravel to discourage its use as a refuse container.
  3. (US) To provide reserve support.
  4. (US) To replenish or restock due to attrition or loss.
    • The company backfilled Joe's position after he was terminated.
  5. To enter an online game that's already in progress, replacing a player who left early.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
backfilled Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
backfilled Tense=Past lexicographic
backfills Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
back-fill alternative lexicographic
backfilling Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Translations (1)

es atibar (Translations)