adv. (and a.). Also 6 bacwardes, Sc. bacwartis. [f. BACKWARD with advb. genitive -s; cf. OE. hámweardes: see -WARDS.]
A. = BACKWARD adv. in its various senses.
1513. Douglas, Æneis, VIII. ii. 46. The streme bacwartis vp, flawis soft and styll.
1535. Coverdale, John xviii. 6. They wente bacwardes and fell to the grounde.
1606. Sir G. Goosecappe, I. iv. in Old Pl. (1884), III. 25. I will preferre thee backwards (as many friends do) and leave their friends woorse then they found them.
1664. Power, Exp. Philos., I. 2. The joynts of his hinder legs … bend backwards.
1704. Steele, Lying Lover, IV. (1747), 60. She lies backwards, and you can’t so much as see her Chamber Window.
1708. Lond. Gaz., No. 4432/6. [They] went into the same Coach, the Bride sitting backwards. Ibid. (1715), No. 5323/1. To ply forwards and backwards … on the Coasts of Calabria. Ibid. (1716), No. 5446/9. A house … with the Gardens … and four small Tenements backwards.
1771. J. S., Le Dran’s Obs. Surg. (ed. 4), 164. The Patient being pressed to go backwards, went behind his Tent.
1833. Regul. Instr. Cavalry, I. 24. At the words On the Right, backwards Wheel, the man on the right of the rank faces to his left.
1858. W. Irving, Washington, V. 68. He walked me backwards and forwards … for half an hour.
1872. Freeman, Norm. Conq., IV. xx. 456. Brihtric having been translated backwards to the less important Abbey of Burton.
† B. = BACKWARD a. Obs. rare.
1627. Bp. Cosin, Corr. (1869), I. 119. Slack or backwards in doing his … dutie.
1683. Cave, Ecclesiastici, 481. Nor were … his Party backwards to blow up the Coals.
