backcourt

plural backcourts

1. ScotlandA courtyard behind a housing block or tenement building.

   'The locus is Crawford Street?' 'One of the backcourts sir, as far as I understand.'

   2022, Liam McIlvanney, The Heretic, page 16

   2 more examples

   Some backcourts had wee outside buildings. They had caved-in roofs and tile chimneys broke off and all smashed windows.

   2008, James Kelman, Kieron Smith, Boy, Penguin, published 2009, page 77

   Each unique backcourt was an adventure playground with walls to be climbed, chasms to be leaped and dustbins to be raked through and pillaged.

   2011 January 8, Brian McHugh, The Guardian

2. ball gamesA team's defensive half of the court; the part of the court where the other team's basket is located, or the guards playing in that area.

   So the Knicks, who began the season with a depleted frontcourt, have muddled through the last six weeks with a depleted backcourt as well.

   2009 January 2, Howard Beck, “Knicks Will Continue to Be Walsh’s Work in Progress in 2009”, in New York Times

3. ball gamesThe area farthest from the opponent's goal around the nine-metre line, where a team's defensive centre players are located.

   It also shows Mathias Gidsel’s greatness, as he is the only backcourt player that ranks in the top 20 in both shot quality and shot making, something he regularly does in the German Bundesliga as well.

   2026, Julian Rux, “The probabilities that are going to shape the EHF EURO 2026”, in European Handball Federation