Where does “後へ引く” come from?

後へ引く (Japanese) comes from Japanese 後, from Japanese 跡, from Japanese 足, from Old Japanese 足.

後へ引く (Japanese): to back down (from an assertion or strong position); to compromise

Definitions

  1. to back down (from an assertion or strong position); to compromise

Ancestry of “後へ引く”, step by step

後へ引く traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Japanese 後

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese後the back, the rear, behind; later, afterwards,...
2Japanese跡a track or trace; evidence of something moving,...
3Japanese足foot; 脚 leg
4Old Japanese足—

via Japanese へ

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japaneseへto, towards; 戸 a house; a household; 綜 a heddle...
2Japanese辺place, general area, vicinity; the joining line...
3Japaneseなused to get someone's attention, generally...
4Japaneseねemphasis and question marker particle; asks for...

via Japanese 引く

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Japanese引くto pull (something toward oneself)
Every word from Old Japanese 足 →Every word from Japanese 足 →Every word from Japanese 跡 →