back street

¹

noun

1. a street apart from the main or business area of a town.

back-street

²

[ bak-street ]

adjective

1. taking place in secrecy and often illegally:

   back-street political maneuvering; back-street drug dealing.

Word History and Origins

Origin of back street¹

First recorded in 1630–40

Origin of back street²

First recorded in 1895–1900

Idioms and Phrases

Also, back alley . A less prominent or inferior location; also, a scene of clandestine or illegal dealings. For example, The highway department is very slow to clear snow from the back streets , or Before they were made legal, abortions were often performed in back alleys . Although back street literally means “one away from the main or business area of a town or city,” this term, from the early 1600s, became associated with underhanded dealings, and back alley , from the mid-1800s, is always used in this sense.

Example Sentences

His carriage was brought round to a private door, in a back street; and Ripperda was at last persuaded to enter it.

From Project Gutenberg

Philip Burr led them into a back street, where his own handsome automobile was placed at their service.

From Project Gutenberg

Personally, he was subjected to no further annoyance, and soon forgot that unpleasant experience in the back-street.

From Project Gutenberg

That means the frontage will have to be in the little back street behind, on the shady side.

From Project Gutenberg

The journalists melted away, and Foyle presently found himself in a dingy back street where the local police station was situated.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• artery
• asphalt
• avenue
• boulevard
• byway
• expressway
• freeway
• highway
• lane
• parking lot
• path
• pathway
• pavement
• route
• street
• subway
• superhighway
• terrace
• thoroughfare
• turnpike