row back

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row back (third-person singular simple present rows back, present participle rowing back, simple past and past participle rowed back)

1. (UK, idiomatic) To change or revise a previous opinion or decision.
   • 2013 January 19, Paul Harris, The Guardian‎:

     Indeed, part of the problem was that Armstrong was rowing back on so much previous behaviour and years of aggressive lambasting of reporters, officials and team-mates who had claimed he was doping. "I don't forgive Lance Armstrong, who lied to me in two interviews. And I suspect most of America won't, either," Kurtz wrote.

   • 2022 October 5, “Network News: Private sector's role in a publicly-owned railway”, in RAIL, number 967, page 16:

     Labour has rowed back from a plan for new rolling stock to be procured and owned in the public sector - with the party's rail spokesman saying it is not a priority.

• row-back

row back (plural row backs)

1. Alternative form of row-back

• back row, backrow