backtalk

English

Etymology

From back + talk.

Pronunciation

Noun

backtalk (uncountable)

  1. (US) Verbal impudence or argumentative discourse, given in response.
    Don't give me any backtalk; just go clean your room.
    • 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
      He scratched his head. "Well, damn me," said he. "I never thought I would take orders from a Chink, but he says 'hist!' and by crums you've got to hist and no back talk either."

Synonyms

Translations

Verb

backtalk (third-person singular simple present backtalks, present participle backtalking, simple past and past participle backtalked)

  1. (transitive) To respond to in an aggressively disputatious, often sarcastic or insolent manner.
    Peter was sent to detention for backtalking the teacher.

Synonyms

(disputatively or sarcastically respond):

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

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