General: Related to or located at the back
“the side or surface opposite the front or face.”
The side of the → planispheric astrolabe
opposite the hollow of the → mater,
→ tympanum, and → rete.
At its center is hinged the → alidade, whose rim
slides on a set of graduated circular scales engraved on the mater. The
number of scales varies from one instrument to another. On this face the
user can perform observations and read the data needed to set the front
side of the instrument in the proper position
(online museo galileo, VirtualMuseum).
Etymology (EN): Back, from M.E., from O.E. bæc; akin to
O.H.G. bah “back.”
Etymology (PE): Pas-, from pas “behind” (e.g.: pas-e pardé
“behind the curtain”); Mid.Pers. pas “behind, before, after;”
O.Pers. pasā “after;” Av. pasca “behind (of space);
then, afterwards (of time);” cf.
Skt. paścā “behind, after, later;” L. post “behind,
in the rear; after, afterwards;”
O.C.S. po “behind, after;” Lith. pas “at, by;”
PIE *pos-, *posko-.
Pošt-, from pošt, variant of pas.
