Sekirov Dictionary

backpedal

/ˈbækˌpɛdəɫ/

verb 3
noun 1
forms 5

verb3

•
To pedal backwards on a bicycle.
- The road was on a hill and the boy was going down the slope, and as he flashed by he started backpedalling very quickly so that the free-wheeling mechanism of his bike made a loud whirring sound. — 1984
•
To step backwards.
- The player had to backpedal before catching the ball.
•
To distance oneself from an earlier claim or statement; back off from an idea.
- Though initially adopting a hard-line stance, the politician soon started to backpedal.

noun1

•
An act of backpedalling (in any sense).
- He should come out of his backpedal and turn to run only when a receiver threatens to get behind him in the zone. — 2013

forms

backpedaled · backpedalled · backpedaling · backpedalling · backpedals

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