backstop
back·stop
(băk′stŏp′)n.
1. Baseball
a. A screen or fence used to prevent the ball from being thrown or hit far behind or to the sides of home plate.
b. A catcher.
2. Something that supports or bolsters.
tr.v. back·stopped, back·stop·ping, back·stops
1. To serve as a backstop for.
2.
a. To support or bolster: "The firm lacks a topflight strategic-consulting arm to backstop its technology gurus" (Alex Beam).
b. To substitute for (another) in an emergency.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
backstop
(ˈbækˌstɒp)n
1. (Ball Games, other than specified) sport a screen or fence to prevent balls leaving the playing area
2. (Rowing) a block or catch to prevent excessive backward movement, such as one on the sliding seat of a rowing boat
vb (tr) , -stops, -stopping or -stopped
US to provide with backing or support
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
back•stop
(ˈbækˌstɒp)n., v. -stopped, -stop•ping. n.
1. a wall, wire screen, or the like, serving to prevent a ball from going beyond the normal playing area.
2. any support, safeguard, or reinforcement.
v.t.3. to act as a backstop to.
[1810–20]
back′stop`per, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
backstop
Past participle: backstopped
Gerund: backstopping
| Imperative |
|---|
| backstop |
| backstop |
| Present |
|---|
| I backstop |
| you backstop |
| he/she/it backstops |
| we backstop |
| you backstop |
| they backstop |
| Preterite |
|---|
| I backstopped |
| you backstopped |
| he/she/it backstopped |
| we backstopped |
| you backstopped |
| they backstopped |
| Present Continuous |
|---|
| I am backstopping |
| you are backstopping |
| he/she/it is backstopping |
| we are backstopping |
| you are backstopping |
| they are backstopping |
| Present Perfect |
|---|
| I have backstopped |
| you have backstopped |
| he/she/it has backstopped |
| we have backstopped |
| you have backstopped |
| they have backstopped |
| Past Continuous |
|---|
| I was backstopping |
| you were backstopping |
| he/she/it was backstopping |
| we were backstopping |
| you were backstopping |
| they were backstopping |
| Past Perfect |
|---|
| I had backstopped |
| you had backstopped |
| he/she/it had backstopped |
| we had backstopped |
| you had backstopped |
| they had backstopped |
| Future |
|---|
| I will backstop |
| you will backstop |
| he/she/it will backstop |
| we will backstop |
| you will backstop |
| they will backstop |
| Future Perfect |
|---|
| I will have backstopped |
| you will have backstopped |
| he/she/it will have backstopped |
| we will have backstopped |
| you will have backstopped |
| they will have backstopped |
| Future Continuous |
|---|
| I will be backstopping |
| you will be backstopping |
| he/she/it will be backstopping |
| we will be backstopping |
| you will be backstopping |
| they will be backstopping |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I have been backstopping |
| you have been backstopping |
| he/she/it has been backstopping |
| we have been backstopping |
| you have been backstopping |
| they have been backstopping |
| Future Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I will have been backstopping |
| you will have been backstopping |
| he/she/it will have been backstopping |
| we will have been backstopping |
| you will have been backstopping |
| they will have been backstopping |
| Past Perfect Continuous |
|---|
| I had been backstopping |
| you had been backstopping |
| he/she/it had been backstopping |
| we had been backstopping |
| you had been backstopping |
| they had been backstopping |
| Conditional |
|---|
| I would backstop |
| you would backstop |
| he/she/it would backstop |
| we would backstop |
| you would backstop |
| they would backstop |
| Past Conditional |
|---|
| I would have backstopped |
| you would have backstopped |
| he/she/it would have backstopped |
| we would have backstopped |
| you would have backstopped |
| they would have backstopped |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011