Meanings (ES + gloss)
contrapedalear • retropedalear
To pedal backwards on a bicycle.
The road was on a hill and the boy was going down the slope, and as he flashed by he started backpedalling very quickly so that the free-wheeling mechanism of his bike made a loud…
cejar • ciar • recejar • recular • retroceder
To step backwards.
The player had to backpedal before catching the ball.
desdecirse • recular • retractarse
To distance oneself from an earlier claim or statement; back off from an idea.
The best car sound of 1999 is that of a new Rover 75 being furiously backpedalled through the motoring page of the Sunday Times.
Though initially adopting a hard-line stance, the politician soon started to backpedal.