subs. phr. (common).—1.  A secret-enemy; one who holds back in time of need. Also (2) = an ally (see BACK, verb. 2).

1

  1472.  Paston Letters, III. 40. I harde somewhat by hym off a BAKKE FFRENDE of yowr.

2

  1574.  NEWTON, Health Mag., 75. Corrupte and unpure Ayre is unto all age a greate BACKEFRIENDE and enimie.

3

  1598.  FLORIO, A Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Inimico and Nemico.

4

  1593.  SHAKESPEARE, Comedy of Errors, iv. 2. 36.

        A wolf, nay, worse, a fellow all in buff;
A BACK-FRIEND, a shoulder-clapper.

5

  1606.  Sir Gyles Goosecappe, i. 4 [in BULLEN’S Old Plays (1884), iii. 25]. I will preferre thee BACKWARDS (as many FRIENDS do) and leave their friends worse then they found them.

6

  1611.  SPEED, The Historie of Great Britaine, IX. xv. 772. Westmorland thought it safest to checke the Scots, as the nearer and continuall BACKE-FRIENDS.

7

  1622.  MASSINGER, The Virgin Martyr, ii. 1. Let him take heed I prove not his BACK-FRIEND.

8

  1684.  BURNET, The Theory of the Earth, II. 180. As S. Jerome was an open enemy to this doctrine, so Eusebius was a BACK FRIEND to it.

9

  1725.  WODROW, Correspondence (1843), III. 108. My BACK FRIEND, Mr. Bruce, has now another and heavier author to deal with than I, Bishop Burnet.

10

  1827.  SOUTHEY, Life (1850), V. 321. But I have had BACK-FRIENDS … as well as enemies.

11

  3.  (common).—See quot.

12

  1864.  Notes and Queries, 3 S. v. 25. 1. The troublesome splinters of skin which are often formed near the roots of the nails are called stepmother’s blessings … BACK-FRIENDS.

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