different between backfriend vs enemy

English

Alternative forms

• back-friend

Etymology

From back +? friend.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?bæk?f??nd/

Noun

backfriend (plural backfriends)

1. (Britain, dialectal, obsolete) A false friend; a secret enemy.
   • c. 1702, Roger L'Estrange, Fables

     Set the restless importunities of talebearers and backfriends against fair words and professions

   • Far is our church from encroaching upon the civil power; as some who are back-friends to both would maliciously insinuate.
2. (Britain, dialectal) A friend at one's back; a backer; one who does his best for another; a supporter.
   • 1708, Michael Bruce, Good news in evil times for fainting believers, or The summ of a lecture upon Jeremiah 45 chapter; together with another lecture on the 28 chapter of Matthew, page 64

     Now well's us for our Back-friend, he will ay our Cause
3. (Britain, dialectal) A hangnail.

English

Alternative forms

• enemie (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English enemy, enemye, enmy, borrowed from Old French enemi, anemi (Modern French ennemi), from Latin inim?cus, from in- (“not”) + am?cus (“friend”). Displaced Middle English feend (“enemy”), from Old English f?ond (“enemy”), which survived into Modern English as fiend, but with a different meaning.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??n?mi/
• Hyphenation: en?e?my

Noun

enemy (plural enemies)

1. Someone who is hostile to, feels hatred towards, opposes the interests of, or intends injury to someone else.

   Synonyms: foe, unfriend, adversary, nemesis, backfriend

   Antonyms: ally, friend

2. A hostile force or nation; a fighting member of such a force or nation.

   Synonyms: foe, adversary, nemesis

   Antonyms: ally, friend

3. Something harmful or threatening to another
4. (attributive) Of, by, relating to, or belonging to an enemy.

Derived terms

Related terms

• enmity
• inimical

Translations

See also

• nemesis

Verb

enemy (third-person singular simple present enemies, present participle enemying, simple past and past participle enemied)

1. To make an enemy of.

Anagrams

• Yemen, yemen

Old French

Noun

enemy m (oblique plural enemys, nominative singular enemys, nominative plural enemy)

1. Alternative form of enemi

Descendants

• ? English: enemy