forwards

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backward(s) and forward(s)

Back and forth; moving in one direction and then the opposite. Can be used literally to refer to something or someone moving in such a way, or figuratively to refer to a situation in which no progress is made (e.g., an argument). I was pacing backwards and forwards in my room last night, worrying about this morning's exam. The two candidates debated the gun laws backward and forward, but neither could offer a productive solution in the end.

fast-forward

1. noun A button, mechanism, or function on an audio or video player that advances a recording rapidly to some future point. Sorry, the fast-forward doesn't work on this old cassette player anymore. I hate this part of the movie. Bill, would you hit fast-forward, please?

2. noun A rapid advancement of some process or development to some future point or state. The film ends with a fast-forward to the main character's wedding day. All that smoking and drinking is going to be a fast-forward to the grave for you.

3. verb To advance an audio or video recording rapidly to some future point. The verb can be used transitively or intransitively. Hey, you fast-forwarded past the part of the interview where I talk about my book! I always fast-forward the movie so I can skip its boring intro sequence.

4. verb To advance some process or development rapidly to some future point or state. We are trying to fast-forward the conversion of the city's public transport to electric engines. The tech company's explosive growth has fast-forwarded the development of the small country.

5. verb To consider or imagine a future point or stage in a process or sequence of events. He grew up in a small fishing village in Mumbai. Fast-forward to 2017, and he is now the CEO of the largest company in the world. Here are our sales trends for the year. If we fast-forward five years, we can see that we will be in serious financial trouble if we don't change the way we do business.

fast-forward to (some point)

1. To advance an audio or video recording rapidly to some future point. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "forward" and "to" if the verb is used transitively. Let's just fast-forward to the part of the interview where you talk about your book! I always fast-forward the movie to the exciting action sequence in the middle.

2. To consider or imagine a future point or stage in a process or sequence of events. He grew up in a small fishing village in Mumbai. Fast-forward to 2017, and he is now the CEO of the largest company in the world. Here are our sales trends for the year. If we fast-forward to projections five years from now, we can see that we will be in serious financial trouble if we don't change the way we do business.

flash forward

1. verb To depict future events, as in a book, TV show, or movie. The show then flashes forward to connect the present and the future.

2. noun A scene or instance in a book, TV show, or movie that depicts future events. In this usage, the phrase is often hyphenated or written as one word. The show makes use of flash-forwards to connect the present and the future.

forward on

To send something on to a subsequent recipient, destination, or address. A noun or pronoun can be used between "forward" and "on." I took the liberty of forwarding on the contract to our London office. You can just forward that letter on to my attorney.

know (something) backwards and forwards

To be extremely familiar with a particular subject, field, or piece of writing, film, music, etc. I've read this book so many times, I know it backwards and forwards. You should ask Samantha about the issue—she knows car engines backwards and forwards.

know (something) forward(s) and backward(s)

To be extremely familiar with a particular subject, field, or piece of media. Primarily heard in US. I've read this book so many times, I know it forwards and backwards. Samantha knows engines forward and backward, so you should ask her about the trouble you're having with your car.

know (something) forwards and backwards

To be extremely familiar with a particular subject, field, or piece of writing, film, music, etc. Primarily heard in US. I've read this book so many times, I know it forwards and backwards. You should ask Samantha about the issue—she knows car engines forwards and backwards.

lurch forward

To move forward abruptly, jerkily, or joltingly. Suddenly, Tom lurched forward and ran to the railing so he could vomit over the side of the ship. The train lurched forward, and my coffee spilled all over my lap as a result.

know something backwards and forwards and know something forwards and backwards

Fig. to know something very well; to know a passage of language so well that one could recite it backwards as well as forwards. Of course I've memorized my speech. I know it backwards and forwards.

lurch forward

to jerk or sway forward. The car lurched forward and shook us around. When the train lurched forward, we were pushed back into our seats.

backward and forward

Also, backwards and forwards.

1. Same as back and forth.

2. Thoroughly, completely, as in He read the speech over and over, until he knew it backwards and forwards. [Late 1500s]

know like a book

Also, know like the back of one's hand or know backwards and forwards. Be extremely familiar with or knowledgeable about; understand perfectly. For example, I know Greg like a book-I'm sure he'll come, or I know this town like the back of my hand, or John knew his part backwards and forwards. The first of these hyperbolic idioms, dating from the early 1800s, has a close cousin in read like a book, which means "to discern someone's intent," as in I can read Greg like a book; also see under open book. The second ( back of hand) dates only from the mid-1900s. Also see backwards and forwards, def. 2; inside out, def. 2; know all the answers.

know something backwards

mainly BRITISH or

know something backwards and forwards

mainly AMERICAN

If you know a subject backwards, you know a lot about it. I thoroughly enjoy lecturing and know my subject backwards. He will be very much in demand. He knows the business backwards. They know company personnel policy backwards and forwards.

know something backwards

be entirely familiar with something.

1991 William Trevor Reading Turgenev People who lived in the town knew it backwards.

flash forward

To undergo a change of scene to a future point in time as a narrative device: The first scene of the movie shows a boy playing with a ball, and then the next scene flashes forward to the character's adulthood.