back·gam·mon

(băk′găm′ən)

A board game for two persons, played with pieces whose moves are determined by throws of dice, with the object being to move all of one's pieces to an end point where they are removed from the board. The first player to have no pieces on the board wins.

[back + gammon.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

backgammon

(ˈbækˌɡæmən; bækˈɡæmən)

1. (Games, other than specified) a game for two people played on a board with pieces moved according to throws of the dice

2. (Games, other than specified) the most complete form of win in this game

[C17: back¹ + gammon, variant of game¹]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

back•gam•mon

art at back-pedal

(ˈbækˌgæm ən, ˌbækˈgæm-)

n.

a game for two persons in which pieces are moved around a board having two tables or parts, and then removed according to throws of the dice.

[1635–45; back² + gammon, perhaps akin to game]

backgammon

- Appears to literally mean "back game," and was first called tables; gammon is the ancestor of game.

backgammon

[ˈbækˌgæmən] N → backgammon m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

backgammon

[bækˈgæmən ˈbækgæmən] n → backgammon m
to play backgammon → jouer au backgammon

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

backgammon

[bækˈgæmən] n → backgammon m, tavola reale

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Bennet, he offered himself as his antagonist at backgammon. Mr.

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He took Rebecca to task once or twice about the propriety of playing at backgammon with Sir Pitt, saying that it was a godless amusement, and that she would be much better engaged in reading "Thrump's Legacy," or "The Blind Washerwoman of Moorfields," or any work of a more serious nature; but Miss Sharp said her dear mother used often to play the same game with the old Count de Trictrac and the venerable Abbe du Cornet, and so found an excuse for this and other worldly amusements.

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'Try a hand at backgammon, sir, as you used to do when I had the honour of living under your roof.' 'I haven't played backgammon, ma'am,' said Mr.

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They preferred to have tea by themselves, and after tea they played backgammon. Mrs.

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"Get Dorothea to play backgammon with you in the evenings.

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Emma spared no exertions to maintain this happier flow of ideas, and hoped, by the help of backgammon, to get her father tolerably through the evening, and be attacked by no regrets but her own.

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Many persons envied the quiet existence of this old bachelor, spent on whist, boston, backgammon, reversi, and piquet, all well played, on dinners well digested, snuff gracefully inhaled, and tranquil walks about the town.

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"You were playing backgammon the other day with one of the officers.

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At home we sat and talked quietly of old times, or played at backgammon and dominoes--and so, for a few happy days, led the peaceful unadventurous life which was good for me.

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Sapsea then proposes a hit at backgammon, which, seasoned with his own improving conversation, and terminating in a supper of cold roast beef and salad, beguiles the golden evening until pretty late.

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For my own poor part, I don't know one note of music from the other; but I can match you at chess, backgammon, ecarte, and (with the inevitable female drawbacks) even at billiards as well.

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Then, we had chess for those who played it, whist, cribbage, books, backgammon, and shovelboard.

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