backwater
English · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
backwater¹
Where it comes from
From back + water.
noun backwaters · back water · back-water
- The water held back by a dam or other obstruction. […] The backwater separates the main line from Hinksey marshalling yards
-
A remote place: somewhere that remains unaffected by new events, progresses, ideas, etc; any field of endeavor that figuratively resembles such a place.
Near-synonyms: (place) jerkwater town, one-horse town, Podunk; see also Thesaurus:remote place
Similar: jerkwater town, one-horse town, Podunk, Isolated town, bump in the road, jerkwater, jerk-water, wide spot in the road, Isolated place, arse end of nowhere, back of beyond, back forty
- A rowing stroke in which the oar is pushed forward to stop the boat; see back water
-
Water used in the papermaking process. Recycled to reduce usage of fresh water, and usually containing residual amounts of chemicals and fibres.
The back-water (overflow) can be used for "thinning down" the chests when emptying. If "Wastive" does this, his mind will be at ease regarding waste of pulp, and his machine-men will be happy and do their work much better than by trying to use all the back-water on the paper machine.
Similar: overflow
verb backwaters · backwatering · backwatered · back water · back-water
- To row or paddle a backwater stroke.
- To vacillate on a long-held position.
Backwater²
proper noun
- A locality in the Armidale council area, north-eastern New South Wales, Australia.
Translations
Every language
noun the water held back by a dam or other obstruction
| Italiano | acqua di invaso |
|---|---|
| Русский | подпо́р podpór, за́водь závodʹ |
noun a remote place; somewhere that remains unaffected by new events, progresses, ideas, etc.
| Español | pueblucho, villorrio (despective), poblacho (despective) |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 僻地 hekichi, 奥地 okuchi, 辺境 henkyou |
| 中文 | 窮鄉僻壤 /穷乡僻壤 qióngxiāngpìrǎng |
| Português | cafundó |
| Français | patelin, trou perdu |
| Deutsch | Kaff, Dorf |
| Русский | засто́й zastój, захолу́стье zaxolústʹje, глушь glušʹ, глуби́нка glubínka |
noun a rowing stroke in which the oar is pushed forward to stop the boat
| Русский | гребок m навстре́чу grebok |
|---|
verb To row or paddle a backwater stroke
| Español | ciar |
|---|---|
| Русский | грести́ навстре́чу grestí |
verb to vacillate on a long-held position
| Français | lâcher prise, abandonner, vaciller |
|---|
Talk about this word "backwater." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/backwater. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. backwater. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/backwater "backwater." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/backwater.Cite this
@misc{backwater_2026,
title = {backwater},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/backwater},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
