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Piggyback

adj, adv, noun, verb

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    On somebody's back or shoulders. not-comparable

    "give someone a piggyback ride"

  2. 2
    Pertaining to transportation of goods where one transportation unit is carried on the back of something else. For example, a truck on a train. not-comparable

    "A Montreal-Toronto "Piggyback" freight of the Canadian Pacific."

  3. 3
    Attached or appended to something larger or more important. not-comparable

    "piggyback legislation"

Adverb
  1. 1
    On somebody's back or shoulders. not-comparable

    "to ride piggyback"

Adverb
  1. 1
    on the back or shoulder or astraddle on the hip wordnet
  2. 2
    on a railroad flatcar wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    A ride on somebody's back or shoulders. countable
  2. 2
    the act of carrying something piggyback wordnet
  3. 3
    An act or instance of piggybacking. countable, uncountable

    "The growth is taken for granted; what absorbs Americans today is the implication of piggyback for gross revenues and, more important, net profits."

  4. 4
    The connection of one intravenous drip to another. countable, uncountable

    "Piggyback medications are given through a port of an existing intravenous site. […] Calculation of the drip rate for piggybacks is the same as any other drip rate."

Verb
  1. 1
    To carry (someone) on the back or shoulders. transitive
  2. 2
    bring into alignment with wordnet
  3. 3
    To ride on someone's back or shoulders. transitive
  4. 4
    support on the back and shoulders wordnet
  5. 5
    To attach or append something to another (usually larger) object or event. ambitransitive

    "They tried to piggyback that proposal on the rivers and harbors bill."

Show 7 more definitions
  1. 6
    haul by railroad car wordnet
  2. 7
    To obtain a wireless internet connection by bringing one's own computer within the range of another's wireless connection without that subscriber's permission or knowledge. Internet, transitive
  3. 8
    haul truck trailers loaded with commodities on railroad cars wordnet
  4. 9
    To utilize "last-mile" wiring rented from a larger owner ISP by a smaller ISP. Internet, transitive
  5. 10
    ride on someone's shoulders or back wordnet
  6. 11
    To transport (a lorry/truck) on a flatbed railway wagon. transitive

    "American railroads are not permitted to operate long-haul road routes, but the I.C.C. decision of 1954 did permit them to solicit trailer business in, say, New York for Chicago provided the trailer was piggybacked in between."

  7. 12
    To enter a secured area at the same time along with (someone having authorized access); to tailgate. transitive

    "Okay, when someone accesses a door with a card key, anyone additional who comes in with them is piggy-backing on their access, like someone riding piggy-back. Get it?"

Etymology

Etymology 1

A corruption of pickaback, itself a corruption of pick-pack, like a pack.

Etymology 2

A corruption of pickaback, itself a corruption of pick-pack, like a pack.

Etymology 3

A corruption of pickaback, itself a corruption of pick-pack, like a pack.

Etymology 4

A corruption of pickaback, itself a corruption of pick-pack, like a pack.

See also for "piggyback"

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