back·ground (b k ground )n. Idioms: 1. The ground or scenery located behind something. 2. a. The part of a pictorial representation that appears to be in the distance and that provides relief for the principal objects in the foreground. b. The general scene or surface against which designs, patterns, or figures are represented or viewed. 3. A position or area of relative inconspicuousness or unimportance. 4. The circumstances and events surrounding or leading up to an event or occurrence. 5. A person's experience, training, and education: Her background in the arts is impressive. 6. Subdued music played especially as an accompaniment to dialogue in a dramatic performance. 7. a. Sound that intrudes on or interferes with an audio recording. b. Low-level radiation, as from radioactive decay, that exists as part of the natural environment. on background For publication but without specific attribution of the source: The Senator would only speak on background with the reporter about the crisis. on deep background For publication without any attribution of the source. back ground v. |
background [ˈbækˌgraʊnd]
n
1. the part of a scene or view furthest from the viewer
2.
a. an inconspicuous or unobtrusive position (esp in the phrase in the background)
b. (as modifier) a background influence
3. (Fine Arts & Visual Arts / Art Terms) Art
a. the plane or ground in a picture upon which all other planes or forms appear superimposed
b. the parts of a picture that appear most distant Compare foreground, middle-distance
4. a person's social class, education, training, or experience
5. (Historical Terms)
a. the social, historical, or technical circumstances that lead up to or help to explain something the background to the French Revolution
b. (as modifier) background information
6.
a. a low level of sound, lighting, etc., whose purpose is to be an unobtrusive or appropriate accompaniment to something else, such as a social activity, conversation, or the action of a film
b. (as modifier) background music
7. (Physics / General Physics) Also called background radiation Physics low-intensity radiation as, for example, from small amounts of radioisotopes in soil, air, building materials, etc.
8. (Electronics) Electronics
a. unwanted effects, such as noise, occurring in a measuring instrument, electronic device, etc.
b. (as modifier) background interference
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. | background - a person's social heritage: previous experience or training; "he is a lawyer with a sports background" heritage, inheritance - any attribute or immaterial possession that is inherited from ancestors; "my only inheritance was my mother's blessing"; "the world's heritage of knowledge" |
| 2. | background - the part of a scene (or picture) that lies behind objects in the foreground; "he posed her against a background of rolling hills" | |
| 3. |  background - information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem; "the embassy filled him in on the background of the incident"information - knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction | |
| 4. | background - extraneous signals that can be confused with the phenomenon to be observed or measured; "they got a bad connection and could hardly hear one another over the background signals" background noise, ground noise - extraneous noise contaminating sound measurements that cannot be separated from the desired signal background radiation - radiation coming from sources other than those being observed | |
| 5. | background - relatively unimportant or inconspicuous accompanying situation; "when the rain came he could hear the sound of thunder in the background" accompaniment, co-occurrence, concomitant, attendant - an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another | |
| 6. | background - the state of the environment in which a situation exists; "you can't do that in a university setting" environment - the totality of surrounding conditions; "he longed for the comfortable environment of his living room" canvass, canvas - the setting for a narrative or fictional or dramatic account; "the crowded canvas of history"; "the movie demanded a dramatic canvas of sound" show window, showcase - a setting in which something can be displayed to best effect; "it was a showcase for democracy in Africa" | |
| 7. |  background - (computer science) the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appearCRT screen, screen - the display that is electronically created on the surface of the large end of a cathode-ray tube computer science, computing - the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures | |
| 8. |  background - scenery hung at back of stage | |
| Verb | 1. | background - understate the importance or quality of; "he played down his royal ancestry" wave off - dismiss as insignificant; "He waved off suggestions of impropriety" soft-pedal - play down or obscure; "His advisers soft-pedaled the president's blunder" accent, accentuate, emphasize, stress, punctuate, emphasise - to stress, single out as important; "Dr. Jones emphasizes exercise in addition to a change in diet" foreground, highlight, play up, spotlight - move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent; "The introduction highlighted the speaker's distinguished career in linguistics" |
background
noun
1. upbringing, history, culture, environment, tradition, circumstances, breeding, milieu Moulded by his background, he could not escape traditional values.
2. experience, grounding, education, preparation, qualifications, credentials His background was in engineering.
3. circumstances, history, conditions, situation, atmosphere, environment, framework, equation, ambience, milieu, frame of reference The meeting takes place against a background of political violence.
5. in the distance I kept hearing applause in the background.
6. behind the scenes, unnoticed, out of the limelight, out of the spotlight Rosemary likes to stay in the background.
Translations
background [ˈbækgraʊnd]
A. N
1. [of picture etc] → fondo m (fig) → ambiente m
on a red background → sobre un fondo rojo
in the background → al or en el fondo (fig) → en segundo plano, en la sombra
to stay in the background → mantenerse en segundo plano, no buscar publicidad
on a red background → sobre un fondo rojo
in the background → al or en el fondo (fig) → en segundo plano, en la sombra
to stay in the background → mantenerse en segundo plano, no buscar publicidad
2. [of person] → formación f, educación f
she comes from a wealthy background → proviene de una familia acaudalada
what is his background? → ¿cuáles son sus antecedentes?
she comes from a wealthy background → proviene de una familia acaudalada
what is his background? → ¿cuáles son sus antecedentes?
3. [of situation, event] → antecedentes mpl
the background to the crisis → los antecedentes de la crisis
to fill in the background for sb → poner a algn en antecedentes
the background to the crisis → los antecedentes de la crisis
to fill in the background for sb → poner a algn en antecedentes
background [ˈbækgraʊnd]
n
(in picture, photo, scenery) → arrière-plan m; (in design) → fond m
in the background
a house in the background → une maison à l'arrière-plan
voices in the background → des voix en bruit de fond
in the background
a house in the background → une maison à l'arrière-plan
voices in the background → des voix en bruit de fond
[events] (= context) → contexte m (= history) → historique m
the background to sth → l'historique de qch
the economic background to the present crisis → le contexte économique de la présente crise
the historical background to sth → l'historique de qch
against a background of sth [+ violence, unrest] → dans un climat de qch
the background to sth → l'historique de qch
the economic background to the present crisis → le contexte économique de la présente crise
the historical background to sth → l'historique de qch
against a background of sth [+ violence, unrest] → dans un climat de qch
(= experience) → formation f
a background in sth
His background was in engineering → Il avait une formation d'ingénieur.
a background in sth
His background was in engineering → Il avait une formation d'ingénieur.
(= origins) → milieu m
She came from a working-class background → Elle était issue du milieu ouvrier.
family background → milieu familial
She came from a working-class background → Elle était issue du milieu ouvrier.
family background → milieu familial
modif
[research] → de fond
background information (= context) → contexte m (= general information) → informations fpl générales
For more background information, visit www → Pour plus de renseignements, visitez www. ... background check, background report
background check n → vérification f des antécédents
They are calling for fingerprinting and background checks for airport employees → Ils réclament la prise des empreintes digitales et la vérification des antécédents pour les employés des aéroports.
background music n → musique f de fond
background noise n → bruit m de fond
background reading n (= list of titles to read) → lecturesautour d'un sujet)fpl générales >
background report n (LAW) → rapport m d'expert
background information (= context) → contexte m (= general information) → informations fpl générales
For more background information, visit www → Pour plus de renseignements, visitez www. ... background check, background report
background check n → vérification f des antécédents
They are calling for fingerprinting and background checks for airport employees → Ils réclament la prise des empreintes digitales et la vérification des antécédents pour les employés des aéroports.
background music n → musique f de fond
background noise n → bruit m de fond
background reading n (= list of titles to read) → lectures
background report n (LAW) → rapport m d'expert
background
n
(of painting etc, fig) → Hintergrund m; to stay in the background → im Hintergrund bleiben, sich im Hintergrund halten; to keep somebody in the background → jdn nicht in den Vordergrund treten lassen; against a background of poverty and disease → vor dem Hintergrund von Armut und Krankheit
(of person) (educational etc) → Werdegang m; (social) → Verhältnisse pl; (= family background) → Herkunft f no pl; (Sociol) → Background m; he comes from a background of poverty → er kommt aus ärmlichen Verhältnissen; comprehensive schools take children from all backgrounds → Gesamtschulen nehmen Kinder aus allen Schichten auf; what do we know about the main character’s background? → was wissen wir über das Vorleben der Hauptperson?; what’s your educational background? → was für eine Ausbildung haben Sie?
(of case, problem etc) → Zusammenhänge pl, → Hintergründe pl, → Hintergrund m; he explained the background to the crisis → er erläuterte die Zusammenhänge or Hintergründe der Krise
adj reading → vertiefend; background music → Hintergrundmusik f, → Musikuntermalung f; background noises pl → Geräuschkulisse f, → Geräusche pl → im Hintergrund; background information → Hintergrundinformationen pl; what’s the background information on this? → welche Hintergründe or Zusammenhänge bestehen hierfür?
background [ˈbækˌgraʊnd]
background [ˈbækˌgraʊnd]
1. n
a. (gen) → sfondo (fig) → sfondo, scenario
in the background → sullo sfondo (fig) → nell'ombra
on a red background → su sfondo rosso
in the background → sullo sfondo (fig) → nell'ombra
on a red background → su sfondo rosso
b. (of person) → background m inv; (basic knowledge) → base f; (experience) → esperienza; (of problem, event) → retroscena m, background m inv
she comes from a wealthy background → è di famiglia ricca
family background → ambiente familiare
she comes from a wealthy background → è di famiglia ricca
family background → ambiente familiare
background [ˈbækˌgraʊnd]
1. n
a. (gen) → sfondo (fig) → sfondo, scenario
in the background → sullo sfondo (fig) → nell'ombra
on a red background → su sfondo rosso
in the background → sullo sfondo (fig) → nell'ombra
on a red background → su sfondo rosso
b. (of person) → background m inv; (basic knowledge) → base f; (experience) → esperienza; (of problem, event) → retroscena m, background m inv
she comes from a wealthy background → è di famiglia ricca
family background → ambiente familiare
she comes from a wealthy background → è di famiglia ricca
family background → ambiente familiare
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