The expression probably comes from the physical act of turning your back toward someone, instead of speaking to him face-to-face.

VOA: special.2009.12.13

"Instead of shopping in just the regular shopping mall we were kind of forced to go to these bargain type shops."

VOA: special.2009.12.21

At the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar, instead of chairs, they can sit on saddles as if riding a horse.

VOA: special.2009.02.16

Instead of remaining in Paris, as many American writers did, Faulkner returned to Mississippi and began his serious writing.

VOA: special.2010.01.03

The study is said to be the first to examine in detail measurements of bone strength instead of bone density.

VOA: special.2009.03.10

The council presents reasons why business schools should use the GMAT instead of the Graduate Record Examinations, or GRE.

VOA: special.2009.01.08

Often the company would use mules instead of horses to pull its stagecoaches because the Indians had no interest in mules.

VOA: special.2010.04.26

"Cupcakes are cool because they're having your own personal cake instead of having to share with a lot of people.

VOA: special.2010.04.12

So you feel like you are a guest in a home instead of a visitor in a huge, impersonal museum.

VOA: special.2009.01.11

They had many complaints. One said Paul talked to the other students instead of paying attention to the lessons.

VOA: special.2009.04.04

It was that companies talked about their products through advertisements on radio instead of buying advertising space in newspapers.

VOA: special.2011.04.14

Some of the writers of the Harlem Renaissance criticized her for writing about black culture instead of relations between the races.

VOA: special.2009.02.22

Because he used head-craft, instead of witchcraft, he rose from the poorest igloo to be the chief in the village.

VOA: special.2011.03.12

Nothing unusual there. But instead of being sad or tense about the snow, they write a song about it.

VOA: special.2009.01.26