background

alternative obsolete back ground

1. not comparableLess important or less noticeable in a scene or system.

   background noise

   1 more example

   The antivirus program runs on a background thread.

plural backgrounds · alternative obsolete back ground

1. countableuncountableOne's social heritage, or previous life; what one did in the past.

   The lawyer had a background in computer science.

2. countableuncountableA part of the picture that depicts scenery to the rear or behind the main subject; context.

   1 more example

   Earless ghost swift moths become “invisible” to echolocating bats by forming mating clusters close[…]above vegetation and effectively blending into the clutter of echoes that the bat receives from the leaves and stems around them. Many insects probably use this strategy, which is a close analogy to crypsis in the visible world — camouflage and other methods for blending into one’s visual background.

   2013 May-June, William E. Conner, “An Acoustic Arms Race”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, archived from the original on 06 Mar 2016, pages 206–207

3. countableuncountablebroadcastingAn extra who appears in the background, with no speaking role.
4. countableuncountableInformation relevant to the current situation about past events; history.

   Synonyms: canvas

5. countableuncountableA less important feature of scenery (as opposed to foreground).

   There was tons of noise in the background.

   1 more example

   The photographer let us pick a background for the portrait.

6. countableuncountablecomputingThe image or color over which a computer's desktop items are shown (e.g. icons or application windows).
7. countableuncountablecomputingA type of activity on a computer that is not normally visible to the user.

   The antivirus program is running in the background.

8. abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountablenatural sciencesEllipsis of background radiation.

   low-background

present singular third person backgrounds · participle present backgrounding · participle past backgrounded · past backgrounded · alternative obsolete back ground

1. transitiveTo place in the background.

   Ha! I see Venus’ transit now;—lo! a new planet there;—and behind all, an infinite starry nebulousness, as if thy being were backgrounded by some spangled vail of mystery.

   1852, Herman Melville, Pierre; or The Ambiguities

2. figurativelytransitiveTo put in a position that is not prominent.

   One aspect of the story that appears interesting is that the alleged rapist and victim are only referred to by name together in the same sentence once. In all the other sentences, one receives more focus, while the other is backgrounded.

   2006, Paul Baker, Using Corpora in Discourse Analysis, page 163

   Synonyms: downplay

3. journalismTo gather and provide background information (on).
4. transitiveTo increase the weight and immunity of (a calf) by feeding with forage and grains, as an intermediate stage in cattle production, between weaning and placement in a feedlot.

1. participlepastsimple past and past participle of backgrind