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back down

See also: backdown

English edit

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Verb edit

back down (third-person singular simple present backs down, present participle backing down, simple past and past participle backed down)

  1. (idiomatic) To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously has or has planned to.
    I was about to sue them, but I had to back down.
    I was going to sue them, but now I'm going to have to back down.
    • 2013 June 18, Simon Romero, “Protests Widen as Brazilians Chide Leaders”, in New York Times, retrieved 21 June 2013:
      By the time politicians in several cities backed down on Tuesday and announced that they would cut or consider reducing fares, the demonstrations had already morphed into a more sweeping social protest, with marchers waving banners carrying slogans like “The people have awakened.”
  2. (idiomatic) To withdraw from a commitment or position.

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