Meaning & use
back court
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Meanings
nounsingularsport
In tennis and similar games, the area of the court near the baseline, away from the net.
Grammar: Often used with 'the': she plays from the back court.
Patterns
- from the back court
- in the back court
- the back court player
He stayed in the back court and waited for a short ball.
Her strength is hitting winners from the back court.
The coach told him to move up instead of defending in the back court all day.
nouncountablesport
In basketball, the half of the court that a team defends, or the guards who play there.
Grammar: Can be countable for the area: they pressed in the back court.
Patterns
- in the back court
- the back court players
- bring the ball up the back court
The point guard brought the ball up through the back court.
Their back court scored most of the team's points tonight.
A turnover in the back court gave the other side an easy basket.
nouncountableBritish
The rear section of a court building or courtyard, especially in older British buildings.
Grammar: Usually with 'the' or a possessive: the back court of the inn.
Patterns
- the back court of something
- in the back court
The pub opens onto a small back court.
We crossed the back court to reach the old kitchen.
Word forms
| plural | back courts |
|---|
Common combinations
- play from the back court
- She prefers to play from the back court and rally patiently.
- a back court player
- A back court player needs quick feet and steady groundstrokes.
- in the back court
- The guard lost the ball in the back court.
- bring the ball up the back court
- He brought the ball up the back court against heavy pressure.
- the back court of a building
- The back court of the building is used for parking.
Synonyms and how they differ
- baseline area
- More specific to tennis and refers to the strip right at the baseline, while back court is the whole rear zone.
- rear court
- A rare literal equivalent; it is not the usual term in tennis or basketball.
Opposites
Word family
- court noun
- The playing surface or the building where legal cases are heard.
- backcourtman noun
- An old-fashioned basketball term for a guard.
Commonly confused: back court or backcourt? back court or back court?
back court vs backcourt
The one-word spelling is the usual form in basketball, while tennis writing often keeps two words.
back court vs back court
In law, 'back court' is not a legal term; do not confuse it with 'court of appeal' or 'backlog of cases'.
Practice
In tennis, where is the back court?
Choose one answer.
The back court is the rear part of the court, near the baseline, as opposed to the area close to the net. The other options name other parts of the court or things outside it.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “back court”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.