backstroke

noun
/ˈbækˌstɹoʊk/US

Etymology

From back + stroke.

  1. derived from *streyg- — “to rub, stroke; to shear; to strike
  2. inherited from *straikaz — “stroke
  3. inherited from *straik
  4. inherited from strāc
  5. inherited from strok
  6. compounded as backstroke — “back + stroke

Definitions

  1. A backhanded stroke or blow.

    • He observed that Cid Ruy-dias was an excellent knight; but not equal to the Lord of the Flaming-sword, who with one back-stroke [translating revés] had cut two fierce and monstrous giants through the middle.
  2. A stroke swum lying on one's back, while rotating both arms through the water as to…

    A stroke swum lying on one's back, while rotating both arms through the water as to propel the swimmer backwards.

  3. The pull on the tail of the rope that swings the bell through a full circle (compare…

    The pull on the tail of the rope that swings the bell through a full circle (compare handstroke)

  4. + 1 more definition
    1. To swim the backstroke.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for backstroke. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA