different between hindsight vs backsight

English

Etymology

From hind +? sight. Etymologically almost the exact Germanic equivalent to the Latin-derived retro (back) + spect (look).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?ha?ndsa?t/

Noun

hindsight (countable and uncountable, plural hindsights)

1. Realisation or understanding of the significance and nature of events after they have occurred
   • When you read "Seven Little Rabbits" at age 6 and read it again 15 years later, the hindsight you've developed in the time between will make you look at and think of the book very differently!
2. (rare) The rear sight of a firearm

Antonyms

• foresight

Hypernyms

• sight

Derived terms

• hindsightly
• twenty-twenty hindsight

Translations

See also

• hindlook
• retrospect

English

Etymology

back +? sight

Noun

backsight (plural backsights)

1. The rear sight of a firearm.
2. (surveying) A measurement or reading taken back towards a point of known elevation, used to calculate the height of the surveying instrument (theodolite, transit, total station).
3. (surveying) A measurement of a previously shot point, used to set the angle to zero when occupying a new position.

Verb

backsight (third-person singular simple present backsights, present participle backsighting, simple past and past participle backsighted)

1. (surveying) To shoot a backsight.

See also

• foresight
• hindsight