ˈ ̷ ̷| ̷ ̷ ̷ ̷ intransitive verb
Etymology: back (II) + pedal
1. : to press backward on the pedals of a bicycle to check the forward motion
2.
a. : to retreat or back away especially in boxing
hamper … troops trying to backpedal northward — Newsweek
he sent several jolting hooks to the heart, forcing the defending champion to backpedal — Nat Fleischer
b. : to back down from or reverse a previous opinion or stand
a politician backpedaling on an earlier promise