Talk:in back of

This functions as a preposition to make adjectival and adverbial phrases. It can't be an adverb (taking no object), can it? DCDuring TALK 19:02, 21 August 2009 (UTC)
 * You seem to be right, but for those of us not so hot on English grammar, can you explain this? Mglovesfun (talk) 20:13, 13 September 2009 (UTC)
 * It is like WT:TR. It cannot be used grammatically without a true noun as complement. (BTW, not a gerund or something that can sometimes serve as if a noun) Most dictionaries would not call this a preposition, but I think it is indistinguishable in its grammatical function from normal one-word prepositions. I will take a closer look to make sure of this last point. In contrast, in back functions as an adverb. DCDuring TALK 21:02, 13 September 2009 (UTC)


 * Sense deleted DCDuring TALK 23:42, 11 January 2010 (UTC)

back of
According to Microsoft® Encarta® 2009,

The phrase back of is standard and in back of is its informal variant. Both mean "behind": There was a swimming pool (in) back of the house. --Backinstadiums (talk) 11:45, 17 July 2019 (UTC)
 * According to MWOnline, it's the other way around. DCDuring (talk) 16:04, 17 July 2019 (UTC)
 * In the sense “behind,” these Americanisms strike a casual tone. Although back of was long considered a better form than in back of, the latter is now almost as common. (No one, after all, questions in front of.) --Backinstadiums (talk) 16:32, 16 July 2021 (UTC)

Contrast with in THE back of
"(I put it) in the back of (the car)" means "within the rear portion of".

(I put it) in back of (the car)" means "behind" (either relative to discussants or to the conventional orientation of the object, eg, car). DCDuring (talk) 16:10, 17 July 2019 (UTC)
 * In back (of something): at the back of or behind something (informal)

At the back, adv: "in, towards the rear "We went to the cinema and sat at the back".  BACK: to lie at the back of:  a beach backed by hills. --Backinstadiums (talk) 17:14, 16 July 2021 (UTC)

the back
In Walmart, after checking there were no items left in the shelves, an employee says "we have more in the back", meaning in the stockroom. Are they synonyms? --Backinstadiums (talk) 16:49, 17 July 2019 (UTC)
 * It's a deixis. DCDuring (talk) 17:27, 17 July 2019 (UTC)
 * so it does not deseved to be added on its own? --Backinstadiums (talk) 17:34, 17 July 2019 (UTC)
 * the rear, the front, the side, the left, the bottom, the distal, the mesial, the dorsal, the obverse, the anterior, etc. DCDuring (talk) 17:42, 17 July 2019 (UTC)

in front but not (yet?) in back
My family was sitting in front, but I stayed in back. Why? --Backinstadiums (talk) 16:55, 17 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Bad luck? DCDuring (talk) 17:29, 17 July 2019 (UTC)
 * why there's an entry for in front, but not for in back? --Backinstadiums (talk) 17:33, 17 July 2019 (UTC)
 * Random. DCDuring (talk) 17:38, 17 July 2019 (UTC)

back of
back of is an informal variant of in back of and is best avoided in writing: a small stable in back of the house --Backinstadiums (talk) 17:58, 25 July 2020 (UTC)