back door

noun

1. a door at the rear or side of a building

2. 1. a means of entry to a job, position, etc, that is secret, underhand, or obtained through influence

   2. ( as modifier )

      a backdoor way of making firms pay more

Idioms and Phrases

An entry at the rear of a building, as in Deliveries are supposed to be made at the back door only . [First half of 1500s]

A clandestine, unauthorized, or illegal way of operating. For example, Salesmen are constantly trying to push their products by offering special gifts through the back door . This term alludes to the fact that the back door cannot be seen from the front. [Late 1500s]

Example Sentences

Apple has previously said it would "never build a back door" in its products.

From BBC

“I was just coming in my back door and there was just this incredible flashing of white lights,” Twohy said.

From Los Angeles Times

So through the back door, Juliet and her traveling companions sashay as the production erupts in “Blow,” the Kesha song that encourages everyone to get their drink on and let loose.

From Los Angeles Times

A woman in Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk said it "rattled" her back door, while in north Kent one person described how it "shook the whole house - we thought there had been an explosion".

From BBC

When we got home, Sydney ran out the back door, raced through the grass and around the jacaranda tree, hoping for squirrels.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• side door www.thesaurus.com