Backstop
I wonder whether there is any etymological explanation regarding the origin of the word "backstop" often used in Brexit negotiations between EU and Great Britain. I understand the political and economic implications of the backstop on the Irish border, namely: no backstop = the hard border; the backstop = no hard border, but I still can't find any lexical connotations between the word itself and the notion of the invisible Irish border. If the backstop introduces, in reality, "an invisible border", then why does it have "stop" fused with "back" in its name?
Top answer
Consider this simpler example. In baseball, the batter tries to hit the ball and the catcher tries to catch the ball. If it gets past them, there is a type of fence at the back that stops the ball from leaving the playing field.
- Consider this simpler example.
- In baseball, the batter tries to hit the ball and the catcher tries to catch the ball.
- If it gets past them, there is a type of fence at the back that stops the ball from leaving the playing field.
- Broadly speaking, in terms of plans, a backstop is a plan that will be used if every other plan fails.
- Clive
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Consider this simpler example.
In baseball, the batter tries to hit the ball and the catcher tries to catch the ball. If it gets past them, there is a type of fence at the back that stops the ball from leaving the playing field.
Broadly speaking, in terms of plans, a backstop is a plan that will be used if every other plan fails.
Clive
0"Backstop" or "longstop" is a figurative expression in British English meaning "last resort". The first citation in the OED in this sense uses "longstop" in 1949. It is from the sport of cricket, where a back-stop or long-stop is a fielding position or fielder positioned some distance behind the wicket-keeper in case the ball gets past him. As far as I can tell, "longstop" is the usual
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