Back-and-forth
backward and forward; side to side; to and fro:
a back-and-forth shuttling of buses to the stadium; the back-and-forth movement of a clock’s pendulum.
unresolved argument or discussion.
Contemporary Examples
See the back-and-forth allegations of stalking and text-message harassment.
Lady Gaga and Perez Hilton’s Wild Feud: Stalking Allegations and Smear Campaigns The Daily Beast August 18, 2013
After some back-and-forth, Morgan asked: “Can you stop being such a jerk?”
Trash Talk Returns as Pols, Pundits Point Fingers Over Boston Bombing Howard Kurtz April 23, 2013
But surely 100 percent of Americans are tired of all the back-and-forth, and want action taken.
Scrap the Health-Care Bill! Christopher Buckley March 6, 2010
Thus began a flurry of back-and-forth emails between director and subject.
‘Life Itself’: A Fitting, Heartrending Tribute to Cinema’s Great Appreciator Roger Ebert Marlow Stern July 1, 2014
The result of the back-and-forth was guaranteed national publicity for the very ideas the politicians wanted to muzzle.
‘The Gatekeepers,’ Brooklyn College BDS Forum: Week of Israel Debate Gail Sheehy February 7, 2013
Unfortunately, it has become a game of deceit and deception, not the back-and-forth conversation that a great match should be.
Ping Pong’s American Style: The Most Unifying Social Sport August 3, 2012
In this excerpt, Michael Lewis has a back-and-forth with Michael Lewis.
Michael Lewis Interviews Himself: Boycott the Banks! Michael Lewis April 16, 2012
The storylines for global tennis only get better as Nadal and Djokovic continue their back-and-forth.
Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Tennis’s Global Game at the French Open Nicholas McCarvel June 10, 2012
At what point do we start calling this back-and-forth a feud?
Sinead O’Connor Writes Miley Cyrus Another Letter, Britney Spears Thinks Her Video Was Too Sexy Culture Team October 3, 2013
Historical Examples
There was a lot of back-and-forth yelling to make sure that everybody was out from in front, and then the blowers started.
Four-Day Planet Henry Beam Piper
Read Also:
- Back and to
back-and-forth; to and fro.
- Back away
the rear part of the human body, extending from the neck to the lower end of the spine. the part of the body of animals corresponding to the human back. the rear portion of any part of the body: the back of the head. the whole body, with reference to clothing: the clothes on his […]
- Back to back
(of two similar events) following one immediately after the other; in unbroken sequence; consecutively: After losing all day, he picked winners back to back in the last two races. adjacent or contiguous but oppositely oriented; having the backs close together or adjoining: The seats in the day coach are back to back. Stud Poker. (of […]
- Back bacon
Canadian. Canadian bacon. noun lean bacon from the back of a pig’s loin noun British term for Canadian bacon Word Origin bacon from the ‘back’ of the pig near the shoulders Usage Note cooking
- Backband
Carpentry. a piece of millwork surrounding the trim at the top and sides of a door or window. a broad band passing over the back of a horse, for supporting the shafts of a vehicle.