back to back

back-to-back

1. adjective Consecutive and in quick succession; one after another. The team secured back-to-back victories this afternoon, thanks to their fantastic goalkeeper.
2. adjective Of houses, built so that the back gardens or terraces of two houses are conjoined and then bisected by a partitioning wall or small alley. Primarily heard in UK. We were worried that our new back-to-back house wouldn't offer as much privacy, but our terrace is completely our own.
3. adverb Done or occurring consecutively and in quick succession. They're going to show the two films back-to-back this afternoon.
4. noun A house with back-to-back gardens or terraces. Primarily heard in UK. The new housing estate is going to be made up entirely of back-to-backs.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

back to back

1. With backs close together or touching, as in In the first and second rows of the bus, the seats were back to back, an unusual arrangement. This term also can be applied to persons who stand facing in opposite directions and with their backs touching. [Mid-1800s]
2. Consecutively, one after another, as in I'm exhausted; I had three meetings back to back. [Mid-1900s]
See also: back
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

ˌback to ˈback


1 if two people stand back to back, they stand with their backs facing or touching each other
2 if two or more things happen back to back, they happen one after the other: back-to-back victories/successes
See also: back
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

back to back

Consecutively and without interruption: presented three speeches back to back.
See also: back
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • back-to-back
  • come back and see us
  • be/go back to square one
  • back-to-back-to-back
  • back
  • back at (something or some place)
  • echo back to
  • back to square one
  • a while back
  • back door
References in periodicals archive
|Birmingham We Lived Back to Back, Fonthill 2016, by Ted Rudge and Mac Joseph (ISBN 978-1-78155-267-4)
Nostalgia Overcrowded, dirty, cold and damp - life in city's infamous back to backs
This black CAT5E VERICOM UTP 24 Port Patch Panel with back to back RJ-45 connectors is made of high quality black metal and includes blanks above each port for ease in labeling.
VERICOM Offers Outstanding Prices on CAT5E 24 Port Unshielded Patch Panels with Back to Back RJ-45 Connectors with July 2012 Dog Days of Summer Savings
Rowley and Appleyard, back to back on the big ledge: Rowley-Frontside 180 nosegrind, and Appleyard with the switch 180 to 5-O.
WORLD WAR III
According to Mohmand Control, there were back to back through remote controlled IED blasts critically injuring Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) Zahid Khan Khattak, who was rushed to the Mohmand Gat MR Camp, but succumbed to the injuries.
Security official martyred in Mohmand Agency IED blasts
"Doing stuff back to back is a very hard thing to do," he said.
GAV'S TARGETTING A DOUBLE
His 1970s tailor's shop in Court 15 has been frozen in time and visitors to the National Trust's Back to Back centre in Hurst Street will be able to watch the film to see how Mr Saunders used traditional methods to create more than 15,000 suits during his career.
Film is tailored to tell story of champion of back to backs
She had a bad labour and was cut to help the baby out - they discovered he was back to back.
Dear Dr Miriam
J D POULTON BACK-TO-BACKS BACK to back houses, Holes in your trouse's, Cardboard soles on your shoes, The smell of carbolic, First born's got the colic, Grandad's out on the booze.
Backstreet kids
For the whole of the 19th century the back to back court was the most economic and practical solution to working-class housing.
ARCHIVE SPECIAL: Going back to Back to Backs a lifestyle of a bygone age; Chris Upton reflects on the origins of and the grim reality of living in a 19th century communal housing solution
His interview was published last summer, alongside the memories of many other Brummies, in Rudge's book entitled Birmingham We Lived Back to Back - The Real Story, which he compiled with fellow Brummie Mac Joseph.
BLOSSOMING LOVE AT BRUM BACK-TO-BACKS; JOHN'S MEMORIES OF VISITING WIFE-TO-BE AT 3/70 CONYBERE ST
She is now upset to be told that this pregnancy, which is a girl, is exactly the same - back to back. My daughter has mentioned her fears to a her midwife and was told the baby may turn in the next five weeks.
Dear Dr Miriam [...]
Birmingham's last surviving courtyard of Back to Back houses has been opened to the public for the first time.
Post People: Back to reality
The city's last surviving court of back to back housing has been fully restored by a partnership between the Birmingham Conservation Trust and the National Trust.
Holidays: Eye'll be back
It may be back to back classics or back to back obscurities from the nooks and crannies of his not insignificant back catalogue.
Rock: All hail the King of New York