Learn English – Can “back” be used as a noun meaning “support” in standard English

word-usage

"When President Christie is in the Oval Office, I'll have your back," he said.

What does "have your back" mean in this sentence? It seems to be of the same meaning as "support", but I can't find a matching noun meaning in Oxford and Longman Dictionary.

Can "back" be used as a noun meaning "support" in standard English?

Best Answer

'I'll have your back' is an idiom meaning 'I will support you' - 'back' on its own can be used as a verb meaning 'support', but would not be used as a noun that way outside this phrase (or one very similar).

An equivalent (and easier to understand) phrase is 'I'll watch your back' or 'I'll guard your back'; all three refer to protecting someone against an unseen attack from behind.

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