— backstopper , n.
/bak"stop'/ , n. , v. , backstopped, backstopping .
n.
1. a wall, wire screen, or the like, serving to prevent a ball from going too far beyond the normal playing area.
2. Baseball. the catcher.
3. a person or thing that serves as a support, safeguard, or reinforcement: There were technicians on board as backstops to the automated controls.
v.i.
4. to act as a backstop.
v.t.
5. to act as a backstop to: The government agreed to backstop companies that invested in oil exploration.
[ 1810-20; BACK 1 + STOP ]