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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

backtalk en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈbæk.tɔk/ (US)
  • (US) audio
  • /ˈbæk.tɔːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From back + talk.

Meanings

  1. (uncountable) Verbal impudence or argumentative discourse, given in response.
    • "Squalled at me that she owned the business and that she wouldn't take any back talk from me and that the piece wasn't for sale. What could I do?" 1950, Norman Lindsay, Dust or Polish?, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 156:
    • He scratched his head. "Well, damn me," said he. "I never thought I would take orders from a Chink, but he says 'hist!' and by crums you've got to hist and no back talk either." 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
    • Don't give me any backtalk; just go clean your room.

Relateds

backchat · talkback · talk back

Synonyms

backchat (verbal impudence or argument) · rebuttal (verbal impudence or argument) · derision (verbal impudence or argument) · lip (verbal impudence or argument) · cheek (verbal impudence or argument) · sass (verbal impudence or argument)

Translations (19)

ga seanchaint (verbal impudence or argument) · ru ре́зкое возраже́ние (verbal impudence or argument) · ga gearrchaint (verbal impudence or argument) · nl tegenspraak (verbal impudence or argument) · eo kontraŭparolo (verbal impudence or argument) · ga aibéil chainte (verbal impudence or argument) · de Widerworte (verbal impudence or argument) · de Widerrede (verbal impudence or argument) · bg дързък отговор (verbal impudence or argument) · fr contradiction (verbal impudence or argument) · ru пререка́ния (verbal impudence or argument) · ga gearr-aighneas (verbal impudence or argument) · ru де́рзкий отве́т (verbal impudence or argument) · bg остроумно възраже́ние (verbal impudence or argument) · ru препира́тельство (verbal impudence or argument) · yue 駁嘴 /驳嘴 (verbal impudence or argument) · fr réponse (verbal impudence or argument) · fr protestation (verbal impudence or argument) · fi suunsoitto (verbal impudence or argument)

backtalk en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ˈbæk.tɔk/ (US)
  • (US) audio
  • /ˈbæk.tɔːk/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From back + talk.

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To respond to in an aggressively disputatious, often sarcastic or insolent manner.
    • Peter was sent to detention for backtalking the teacher.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
backtalking Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
backtalks Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
backtalked Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
backtalked Tense=Past lexicographic

Deriveds

backtalker

Synonyms

mouth off · sass · talk back · backchat

Translations (12)

mi toi (disputatively or sarcastically respond) · eo protesti (disputatively or sarcastically respond) · fr protester (disputatively or sarcastically respond) · nl tegenspreken (disputatively or sarcastically respond) · fr répondre (disputatively or sarcastically respond) · fi soittaa suutaan (disputatively or sarcastically respond) · qu kutipakuy (disputatively or sarcastically respond) · eo kontraŭdiri (disputatively or sarcastically respond) · ru пререка́ться (disputatively or sarcastically respond) · mi toitoi (disputatively or sarcastically respond) · fr contredire (disputatively or sarcastically respond) · ru препира́ться (disputatively or sarcastically respond)