watch one's back

The idiom "watch one's back" suggests staying alert to avoid potential harm or deceit, often in situations where trust is uncertain.

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Definition

B2General

(informal)To stay alert to avoid being harmed, tricked, or betrayed.

Example

  • In this business, you have to watch your back because not everyone is trustworthy.
  • She always watches her back when walking through that part of town.

Similar

Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "watch one's back":

watch one's steplook over one's shoulderwatch one's mouthkeep a lookoutlook out for someoneturn one's backkeep an eye openwatch outbe on the lookoutkeep one's head downon someone's backkeep backhave one's eye onwatch and wardstand backon one's backstay backhave eyes onmind the storekeep one's counsellook backstay behindbreak one's backstand behindhedge one's betsout of the corner of one's eyeon the back footkeep sight ofon guardkeep vigilback of one's mindhang behindrear one's head