Here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct1n5p, I read

Do NATO and the EU have Estonia's back?

What does it mean, having back?

--
Just as 'beautiful' points the way for aesthetics and 'good' for ethics,
so do words like 'true' for logic. All sciences have truth as their
goal; but logic is also concerned with it in a quite different way:
logic has much the same relation to truth as physics has to weight or
heat. Frege in 'Thoughts' (Der Gedanke)

Peter:

> Here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct1n5p, I read
>
> Do NATO and the EU have Estonia's back?
>
> What does it mean, having back?

If I heard the phrase outside this political context, I
would readily interpret it as meaning that someone has
turned his back on me and is sporting the oak (for another
phrase). But it cannot be true of Estonia, NATO, and the EU,
so I have found a more suitable definition:

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/have+one's+back

where `back' means `backing', or support, rather than the
(upper) hind part of the body.

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On 5/18/2021 6:54 AM, Anton Shepelev wrote:
> Peter:

>> Here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct1n5p, I read

>> Do NATO and the EU have Estonia's back?

>> What does it mean, having back?

> If I heard the phrase outside this political context, I would
> readily interpret it as meaning that someone has turned his
> back on me and is sporting the oak (for another phrase). But it
> cannot be true of Estonia, NATO, and the EU, so I have found a more
> suitable definition:

> https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/have+one's+back

> where `back' means `backing', or support, rather than the (upper)
> hind part of the body.

It is a metaphorical use of "the hind part of the body". Someone who
"has your back" is close to it and can prevent anyone from attacking you
from behind, or support you if you are attacked from any other angle.

Dogs who are packmates often lie back-to-back, so that no one can sneak
up on them.

On Mon, 17 May 2021 21:39:52 +0100, Peter <peterxpercival@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct1n5p, I read
>
> Do NATO and the EU have Estonia's back?
>
>What does it mean, having back?

https://www.lexico.com/definition/have_someone's_back

have someone's back
phrase

Be constantly prepared to offer support or assistance to someone.
‘my parents always have my back’

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.english.usage)

In alt.english.usage, on Tue, 18 May 2021 07:21:15 -0400, CDB
<bellemarecd@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 5/18/2021 6:54 AM, Anton Shepelev wrote:
>> Peter:
>
>>> Here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct1n5p, I read
>
>>> Do NATO and the EU have Estonia's back?
>
>>> What does it mean, having back?
>
>> If I heard the phrase outside this political context, I would
>> readily interpret it as meaning that someone has turned his
>> back on me and is sporting the oak (for another phrase). But it

No. It means the same outside of politics, except one would be talking
about having an indvidual's back, not a whole country's.

>> cannot be true of Estonia, NATO, and the EU, so I have found a more
>> suitable definition:
>
>> https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/have+one's+back
>
>> where `back' means `backing', or support, rather than the (upper)
>> hind part of the body.
>
>It is a metaphorical use of "the hind part of the body". Someone who
>"has your back" is close to it and can prevent anyone from attacking you
>from behind, or support you if you are attacked from any other angle.

When I thought about its origin, that's what I concluded. What else?

People can see threats coming from the front, but you need a friend to
protect your back.

>Dogs who are packmates often lie back-to-back, so that no one can sneak
>up on them.

I did not know that.

President Biden, iirc in his inauguration speech even, said to gay
people, roughly, that "I hear you and I will have your back."

Which means, I think, no particular laws to benefit them, but he will
thwart efforts to harm them.

micky to Anton Shepelev:

> > If I heard the phrase outside this political context, I
> > would readily interpret it as meaning that someone has
> > turned his back on me and is sporting the oak (for an-
> > other phrase).
>
> No. It means the same outside of politics, except one
> would be talking about having an indvidual's back, not a
> whole country's.

Yes, but I didn't perceive it that way. I could understand
protecting, guarding, or even covering (but not with the
sights of a firearm) one's back, or having one's back pro-
tected or guarded, but not, I beg your pardon, had! Having
one's help or support, on the other hand, is perfectly natu-
ral to me, so I suggested `back' meant help or support.

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