back ground

English

Noun

back ground (countable and uncountable, plural back grounds)

1. Obsolete form of background.
   • 1814 May 9, [Jane Austen], chapter IX, in Mansfield Park: […], volume III, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, pages 181–182:

     I hope she will recollect it, and be satisfied, as well she may, with moving the queen of a palace, though the king may appear best in the back ground, and as I have no desire to teize her, I shall never force your name upon her again.

   • [1838], John Milner, The History and Survey of the Antiquities of Winchester, 3rd edition, volume II, Winchester: […] for James Robbins, […], by D. E. Gilmour, […]; London: Orr and Co, […]; and Keating and Brown, […], page 258:

     In the back ground is represented the city bridge, built by our saint, and the scene of one of his miracles.

   • 1839, Castle Martyr: or A Tale of Old Ireland, volume II, London: Hugh Cunningham, […], pages 107–108:

     But Anna was an enthusiast—in politics and religion—with a Joan d’Arc devotion, she cast every personal consideration in the back ground, and as far as will could make her, was ready to become an aftertype of La Pucelle d’Orleans.