there and back

phrase

On or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.

“It took me about 20 minutes there and back.”

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

phrase
  1. idiomaticOn or for a round trip journey, literal or figurative.

    It took me about 20 minutes there and back.

    1 more example

    You don't need to tell me about depression. I've been there and back.

Origin

Possibly a shortening of to there and back.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish sinne ja takaisin, menopaluuna
  • sinne ja takaisinon or for a round trip journey (literal)
  • menopaluunaon or for a round trip journey (literal)
  • edestakaisinon or for a round trip journey (literal)
  • sinne ja takaisinon or for a round trip journey (figurative)
German hin und zurück
  • hin und zurückon or for a round trip journey (literal)
Hungarian oda-vissza
  • oda-visszaon or for a round trip journey (literal)
Polish tam i z powrotem
  • tam i z powrotemon or for a round trip journey (literal)
Romanian dus-întors
  • dus-întorson or for a round trip journey (literal)
Russian туда́ и обра́тно, проходи́ли
  • туда́ и обра́тно (tudá i obrátno)on or for a round trip journey (literal)
  • проходи́ли (proxodíli)on or for a round trip journey (figurative)
Spanish ir y volver, estar allí y volver
  • ir y volveron or for a round trip journey (literal)
  • estar allí y volveron or for a round trip journey (literal)
Cite this entry
APA

there and back. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/there%20and%20back

MLA

“there and back.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/there%20and%20back. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “there and back,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/there%20and%20back.

Source: there and back on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.