1. (adv.) With the back in advance or foremost; as, to ride backward.

2. (adv.) Toward the back; toward the rear; as, to throw the arms backward.

3. (adv.) On the back, or with the back downward.

4. (adv.) Toward, or in, past time or events; ago.

5. (adv.) By way of reflection; reflexively.

6. (adv.) From a better to a worse state, as from honor to shame, from religion to sin.

7. (adv.) In a contrary or reverse manner, way, or direction; contrarily; as, to read backwards.

a rebours a reculons abhorrent against the tide against the wind anticlockwise arear arsy-varsy ass-backwards astern at cross-purposes at daggers at daggers drawn at issue at odds at variance at war with athwart away back backward backwards by contraries contra contrarily contrariously contrariwise conversely counter counterclockwise cross cross-grained dislikable displeasing distasteful eyeball-to-eyeball fro hindward hindwards in confrontation in flat opposition in hostile array in opposition in reverse intolerable inversely just the opposite mislikable nay rather odious on the contrary oppositely otherwise per contra quite the contrary rather rearward rearwards retrad to the contrary topsy-turvy tout au contraire uncongenial uninviting unlikable unlovable unpleasant up in arms upside down vice versa widdershins with crossed bayonets