back-water

Noun

backwater (plural backwaters)

1. The water held back by a dam or other obstruction.
   • […] The backwater separates the main line from Hinksey marshalling yards1956 May, “Beside a Thames Backwater”, in Railway Magazine, page unnumbered, frontispiece
2. (figuratively, idiomatic, usually) 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

   Synonyms:

   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

3. A rowing stroke in which the oar is pushed forward to stop the boat; see back water
4. (paper industry) 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.1908, An Old Machineman, “Re Back-water Query.”, in The World's Paper Trade Review, page 14

   Synonyms:

   overflow

See all 7 meanings of backwater