a. [UN-1 8.]
1. Of horses: Unmounted; untrained.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 320. The vnbackt breeder full of fears, Iealous of catching, swiftly doth forsake him.
1613. W. Browne, Brit. Past., I. v. 98. A stubborne Nagge of Galloway: Or vnbackd Iennet, or a Flanders Mare.
1656. Stanley, Hist. Philos., iv. (1687), 136/2. Being demanded how the Learned differ from the unlearned, he answered, as Horses unbackd from such as are well managd.
1753. Hogarth, Anal. Beauty, xvii. 223. A fine Arabian war-horse, unbacked, and at liberty, and in a wanton trot.
1787. Generous Attachment, II. 66. My Louisas long unbacked mare frisked like a fawn across the neighbouring meadow.
2. Not backed or supported; not endorsed.
1609. Daniel, Civ. Wars, III. lxxix. He will not avouch thy fact, But let the weight of thine owne infamie Fall on thee, vnsupported, and vnbackt.
1642. H. More, Song of Soul, To Rdr. Nor is reason unbackd with better principles mathematically satisfiable in matters of this kind.
1658. Earl Monm., trans. Parutas Wars Cyprus, 34. Most were new men, and unexperienced, especially being unbackd by Horse.
1846. Mrs. Gore, Eng. Char. (1852), 115. A sucking politician unbacked by parliamentary interest.
1854. H. Miller, Sch. & Schm. (1858), 548. They were in danger of being put down, unbacked by the popular support which in such a cause they deserved.
1892. Daily News, 25 May, 2/3. An arrangement which gives only an unbacked promise of half interest.
b. Not backed by betting.
1883. Times, 22 Oct., 10/2. This year he took part in the race for the Great Yarmouth Handicap, but he was unbacked and unplaced.
3. Not furnished with a back or backing.
1861. Daily Tel., 19 Aug. The target fired at was an unbacked slab of wrought iron.
1895. Funks Stand. Dict., Unbacked, having no back, as a stool.