Meanings
backgain1
nounbackgain (plural backgains)
plural backgains · alternative backgaun · alternative back-gang · alternative back-gannin · alternative backgane
- UKdialectalA relapse.
- UKdialectalA decline; consumption.
- UKdialectalA relapse in illness.
backgain2
adjectivebackgain (comparative more backgain, superlative most backgain)
comparative more backgain · superlative most backgain · alternative back-ga'en · alternative back-gaen
- UKdialectalReceding; going back.
- UKdialectalNot thriving in health or in worldly concerns.
a backgain family
Synonyms & antonyms
Also see
Origin
backgain · adjective
Alteration of back-ganging (adjective), equivalent to back + gain.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
backgain. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/backgain
MLA
“backgain.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/backgain. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “backgain,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/backgain.
Source: backgain on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.