backstop
pronunciation
How to pronounce backstop in British English:
UK ['bækstɒp]
How to pronounce backstop in American English:
US ['bækˌstɒp]
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- Noun:
- (baseball) a fence or screen (as behind home plate)
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- Verb:
- act as a backstop
Word Origin
- backstop (n.)
- 1819, in cricket, from back (adj.) + stop (n.). In U.S. baseball, from 1889, "fence behind the catcher;" figurative extension to "catcher on a baseball team" is from 1890. The verb is attested from 1956 in the sense of "support." Related: Backstopped; backstopping.
Example
- 1. Would the penny-saving populations of asia at least provide a backstop ?
- 2. A backstop for money-market mutual funds expired on september 18th .
- 3. All agree that taxpayers should not provide a backstop for speculation .
- 4. The eurozone states are not large enough to provide a credible backstop to their financial systems .
- 5. It has made progress in building a welfare state , a necessary backstop that will allow people to spend more money .