ass-backwards

See also: ass backwards

English

Alternative forms

(alternative spelling) ass backwards, ass-backward, ass backward
back-asswards, bass-ackwards

Etymology

Recorded in the US in the 1930s. From ass +‎ backwards[1]

Pronunciation

Audio (AU) (file)

Adjective

ass-backwards (comparative more ass-backwards, superlative most ass-backwards)

(colloquial) Oriented backwards, particularly after a mishap.
The car spun out of control and I ended up ass-backwards in a ditch.
(idiomatic, colloquial) Hopelessly misguided; having taken the utterly wrong choice.
No wonder it doesn't work. The whole design is ass-backwards.

Adverb

ass-backwards (not comparable)

(colloquial) Moving backwards, that is, rear end first.
(idiomatic, colloquial) In a hopelessly misguided manner.
They did the whole design ass-backwards. No wonder it doesn't work.

Synonyms

put the cart before the horse

Translations

moving backwards, that is, rear end first

French: en arrière (fr)
Italian: testacoda

Russian: за́дом наперёд (ru) (zádom naperjód), ра́ком (ru) (rákom)

in a hopelessly misguided manner

Italian: alla cazzo di cane, alla carlona, alla meglio, alla bell’e meglio
Russian: ши́ворот-навы́ворот (ru) (šívorot-navývorot), че́рез жопу (ru) (čérez žopu) (vulgar), ра́ком (ru) (rákom) (vulgar)

Spanish: a tuertas

References

Robert Whitcomb (1935) Talk United States!, page 145

Anagrams

back-asswards, backasswards, bass-ackwards, bassackwards

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