halfback

plural halfbacks

1. field sportsAny of various positions on the field of play between the forwards and the fullbacks.
2. A player who occupies one of these positions.
   1. field sportsAmerican footballAn offensive back whose primary jobs are to carry the ball on running plays and to serve as a receiver or blocker on passing plays.
   2. Canadianfield sportsball gamesA defensive back whose primary jobs are to cover the slotback on passing plays and prevent running plays from going to the outside.
   3. field sports; field hockey; field hockeyA player in the halfback position, with both offensive and defensive roles.
   4. field sports; Australian rules football; Australian rules footballOne of three players (the centre halfback and two halfback flankers) on the line between the centre line and the fullback line.
   5. field sportsball gamesThe player who feeds the ball into the scrum, and receives the ball as it emerges from the back of the scrum.
3. A person from the northern United States who moves to Florida, but then due to the heat or other issues, moves again to a more temperate climate, primarily the Carolinas.

   One of my favorite stories of North Carolina’s demographic growth and change is the “halfback.”

   2016 August 11, Rebecca Tippett, “NC in Focus: Examining “halfback” trends”, in Carolina Demography

   2 more examples

   Four years ago, Diane got a small inheritance and they became what Paul Klein calls “halfbacks” — people who moved to Florida from the North and have progressed partly back.

   2012 September 11, Robert Strauss, “Heading South, but Stopping Short of Florida”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 13 Sep 2012

   “‘Halfbacks’ are snowbirds from Michigan who have tried wintering in Florida but decided to move…half way back.

   2019 March 4, Michael Patrick Shiels, “Lansing to low country – half-back snowbirds settle in SC”, in Lansing State Journal

present singular third person halfbacks · participle present halfbacking · participle past halfbacked · past halfbacked

1. To play in the position of halfback.