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back forty. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
back forty, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
back forty in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
back forty you have here. The definition of the word
back forty will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
back forty, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
back + forty, meaning “back side of a farm”. In the Homestead Acts (1860s–), farmers were granted a quarter section; a section was nominally 1 square mile containing 640 acres, a quarter section was 160 acres, and the quarter section was itself subdivided into four quarter-quarter sections of 40 acres each: two front forty and two back forty. Compare north forty, back of beyond, backcountry, and backwater.
Pronunciation
Noun
back forty (plural back forties)
- (US) The remote part of a farm.
- They couldn't contact the farmer right away because he was out plowing the back forty
- (US, idiomatic) The most remote or inaccessible part of any place.
Synonyms