backslash
To escape by prepending a backslash that serves as an escape character, thereby…To escape (a metacharacter) by prepending a backslash that serves as an escape character, thereby forming an escape sequence.
Meaning
1 sensesTo escape (a metacharacter) by prepending a backslash that serves as an escape character, thereby forming an escape sequence.
Origin
From back + slash, because it is a slash “leaning back” against the direction of writing (From back + slash, because it is a slash “leaning back” against the direction of writing (in writing lines from left to right), in contrast to the more common (forward) slash / (“solidus, oblique, diagonal”). The actual direction of (hand-)writing these marks can be reversed, when writing from left to right, top to baseline: the backslash forwards, the (forward) slash backwards. The naming can be explained as an anthropomorphism, assuming a bar (|) standing on the baseline, facing in the direction of writing, toppling backwards or forwards, respectively. The (new) Unicode name of \ is REVERSE SOLIDUS.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
backslashes, backslashing, backslashed, backslashed| Base form | backslash · to backslash |
|---|---|
| 3rd person singular | backslashes |
| Present participle | backslashing |
| Past simple | backslashed |
| Past participle | backslashed |
regular · Lesson
Word family
10 related wordsLessons for this word
3 lessons- A1Present simple — Because it is a verb
- A1Past simple, regular verbs — Because of its past form
- A2Present perfect: introduction — Because of its past participle
See also
neighbours in the dictionaryDictionary text adapted from Wiktionary (Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet / Princeton WordNet (CC BY 4.0, WordNet License); shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Example sentences and recordings are credited where they appear.