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Back the field

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Back the field'?

Place a bet on all the horses in a race, except one.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Back the field'?

This is the designation given to the betting against a particular horse (or small group of horses). If a punter believes a horse is sure to lose he can back all the others – ‘the field’. This was referred to in the 1878 Chambers’s Encyclopedia:

“There are men … ready to lay against any horse and ‘back’ the ‘field’.”

The history of “Back the field” in printed materials

Trend of back the field in printed material over time

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Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Back the field

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