halfback
Any of various positions on the field of play between the forwards and the fullbacks.
Noun
- Any of various positions on the field of play between the forwards and the fullbacks.
- A player who occupies one of these positions.
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(American football) An offensive back whose primary jobs are to carry the ball on running plays and to serve as a receiver or blocker on passing plays.
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(Canadian football) A defensive back whose primary jobs are to cover the slotback on passing plays and prevent running plays from going to the outside.
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(field hockey) A player in the halfback position, with both offensive and defensive roles.
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(Australian rules football) One of three players (the centre halfback and two halfback flankers) on the line between the centre line and the fullback line.
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(rugby) The player who feeds the ball into the scrum, and receives the ball as it emerges from the back of the scrum.
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- 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.
- 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...
- 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:
- “‘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...
Origin
From half + back, in reference to position on the field of play; compare fullback. In the sense of someone who moves to Florida and then to a more temperate climate, from moving "half way back"
Forms
Derived
Verb
- To play in the position of halfback.