fall back Copy link Outline I. Lit.2. rĕlābor, lapsus, 3II. To retreat a little way1. pĕdem rĕfĕro, tŭli, lātum, 32. rĕfĕror, lātus, 3III. To have recourse to1. rĕcurro, curri, cursum, 32. confŭgio • fall back: I. Lit.: rĕcĭdo, cĭdi, cāsum, 3: all things f. back on to the earth, recidunt omnia in terras, Cic.: the weight fell back on to the solid ground, recidit in solidam terram pondus, Ov. Fig.: to f. back into a more serious disease, in graviorem morbum recidere, Liv. (v. to relapse): all those insults will f. back upon yourself, omnes in te recident istaec contumeliae, Pl. (v. to recoil): Syracuse fell back into its ancient bondage, Syracusae in antiquam servitutem reciderunt, Liv. 2. rĕlābor, lapsus, 3: v. to glide back. II. To retreat a little way: 1. pĕdem rĕfĕro, tŭli, lātum, 3: if they were hard pushed, they did not think it disgraceful to f. back, si premerentur, pedem r. non turpe existimabant, Caes.: not a single man falling back, nec ullo pedem referente, Liv. 2. rĕfĕror, lātus, 3: if with the principes likewise the battle went amiss, they gradually fell back upon the triarii, si apud principes quoque haud satis prospere esset pugnatum, ad triarios sensim referebamur, Liv.: v. to retreat. III. To have recourse to: 1. rĕcurro, curri, cursum, 3: to f. back upon the same conditions, ad easdem conditiones r., Caes. B. C. 2, 16: it is necessary sometimes to f. back upon those authors, necesse est ad eos aliquando auctores r., Quint. 1, prooem. 17. 2. confŭgio: v. RECOURSE (TO HAVE).