[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

background \back"ground`\, n. back, a. + ground.
   1913 webster
   1. ground in the rear or behind, or in the distance, as
      opposed to the foreground, or the ground in front.
      1913 webster

   2. paint. the space which is behind and subordinate to a
      portrait or group of figures.
      1913 webster

   note: the distance in a picture is usually divided into
         foreground, middle distance, and background.
         --fairholt.
         1913 webster

   3. anything behind, serving as a foil; as, the statue had a
      background of red hangings.
      1913 webster

   4. a place in obscurity or retirement, or out of sight.
      1913 webster

            i fancy there was a background of grinding and
            waiting before miss torry could produce this highly
            finished . . . performance.           --mrs.
                                                  alexander.
      1913 webster

            a husband somewhere in the background. --thackeray.
      1913 webster

   5. the set of conditions within which an action takes place,
      including the social and physical conditions as well as
      the psychological states of the participants; as, within
      the background of the massive budget deficits of the
      1980's, new spending programs had little chance of passage
      by the congress.
      pjc

   6. the set of conditions that precede and affect an action,
      such as the social and historical precedents for the
      event, as well as the general background5; as, against
      the background of their expulsion by the serbs, the desire
      of kosovars for vengeance is understandable though
      regrettable.
      pjc

   7. science the signals that may be detected by a
      measurement which are not due to the phenomenon being
      studied, and tend to make the measurement uncertain to a
      greater or lesser degree. specifically: physics
      electronic noise present in a system using electronic
      measuring instrument or in a telecommunications system,
      which may hide and which must be differentiated from the
      desired signal; also called background noise or noise.
      pjc

   8. journalism an agreement between a journalist and an
      interviewee that the name of the interviewee will not be
      quoted in any publication, although the substance of the
      remarks may be reported; -- often used in the phrase "on
      background". compare deep background.
      pjc

   to place in the background, to make of little consequence.

   to keep in the background, to remain unobtrusive,
      inconspicuous or out of sight; -- of people.

   deep background, journalism the status of an interview
      which must not be quoted in a publication, even without
      attribution. compare background8.
      1913 webster +pjc
see also:
foreground noise deep background to place in the background to keep in the background background 

Background >> B Words
Background, definition of term: Background
background_pag1.html

Keep >> K Words
Keep, definition of term: Keep
keep_pag1.html

Keep Up >> K Words
Keep Up, definition of term: Keep Up
keep+up_pag1.html

Keep Off >> K Words
Keep Off, definition of term: Keep Off
keep+off_pag1.html

Keep Down >> K Words
Keep Down, definition of term: Keep Down
keep+down_pag1.html

Keep Back >> K Words
Keep Back, definition of term: Keep Back
keep+back_pag1.html

Keep Away >> K Words
Keep Away, definition of term: Keep Away
keep+away_pag1.html

Background Radi >> B Words
Background Radi, definition of term: Background Radi
background+radi_pag1.html

Keep Up With >> K Words
Keep Up With, definition of term: Keep Up With
keep+up+with_pag1.html