backchat

• back chat, back-chat

From back + chat.

• IPA^(key): /ˈbæk.t͡ʃæt/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

backchat (countable and uncountable, plural backchats)

1. (British) Cheeky or impertinent responses, especially to criticism.
   • 2004, Alan Hollinghurst, chapter 6, in The Line of Beauty […], London: Picador, →ISBN:

     Old Pete would have had some smart gay backchat to deal with an awkward moment like this.

• backtalk (US)

backchat (third-person singular simple present backchats, present participle backchatting, simple past and past participle backchatted)

1. To respond in a disputative, often sarcastic manner.

   Peter was sent to detention for backchatting the teacher.

• (disputatively or sarcastically respond): answer back, mouth off, sass