backslider (bakslider)

One who backslides. (a) An apostate; one who falls from the faith and practice of religion. Prov. xiv. 14. (b) One who neglects his religious vows and falls into habits of sin. backsliding (bak-slī'ding), n. A falling back in principle or or practice; practice; a a lapse in or abandonment of religious obligation; apostasy. Our backslidings are many: we have sinned against thee. Jer. xiv. 7. back rope (bak'rop), n. Naut .: (a) The rope backsliding ne (bak-sli'ding-nes), n. The or chain-stay extending from the lower end of state of backsliding. the dolphin-striker to each side of the bows of a ship. (b) A small rope attached to the hook of the cat-block or fish-hook, to facilitate hook- ing it on the anchor.- Martingale back ropes. See martingale . back-saw (bak'sa), n. A saw the web of which is stiffened by a metallic back of greater substance. Such saws have specific names ac cording to their use, as tenon-saw, dovetail saw, carca - saw, etc. scratcher. back-scraper (bak's krāpér), n. Same as back back-scratcher (bak's krach"èr), n. 1. An implement for scratching the back, generally made of bone or ivory, in the form of a small hand fixed to a long slender handle. A back - scratcher of which the hand was ivory and the Southey , The Doctor, iv. handle black. 2. A toy of wood or bone having a thin tongue which pre es upon a toothed wheel, on the principle of a watchman's rattle: when it is rubbed on the back of a person, it produces a sound like the tearing of cloth. backset (bak's et), v. [ The Israeli tes... (were] backset with Pharaoh's whole Anderson, Expos. of Benedictus, fol. 71 b (1573). power. II. in trans. To plow again, in the autumn, prairie-land which has been plowed for the first time in the preceding spring. [Western U. S.]