to back and fill
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A nautical phrase, denoting a mode of tacking when the tide is with the vessel and the wind against it. Metaphorically, to be irresolute.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to back and fill” mean?
A nautical phrase, denoting a mode of tacking when the tide is with the vessel and the wind against it. Metaphorically, to be irresolute.
Is “to back and fill” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.