Backwater

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Backwater \Back"wa`ter\, n. [Back, a. or adv. + -water. ]
     1. Water turned back in its course by an obstruction, an
        opposing current, or the flow of the tide, as in a sewer
        or river channel, or across a river bar.
        [1913 Webster]
  


     2. An accumulation of water overflowing the low lands, caused
        by an obstruction.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. Water thrown back by the turning of a waterwheel, or by
        the paddle wheels of a steamer.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  backwater
       n 1: a body of water that was created by a flood or tide or by
            being held or forced back by a dam; "the bayous and
            backwaters are breeding grounds for mosquitos"
       2: any backward region that is isolated from the world and
          resists progress

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  108 Moby Thesaurus words for "backwater":
     Charybdis, Maelstrom, abjure, arrest, back, back away, back down,
     back off, back out, back stream, back up, backcountry, backflow,
     backpedal, backtrack, backtrail, backwash, backwoods, boondocks,
     brake, bush, check, climb down, clip the wings, countercurrent,
     counterflow, counterflux, countermarch, crawfish out, cry off,
     curb, decelerate, delay, deny, detain, disavow, disclaim, disown,
     dodge, draw rein, duck, ease off, ease up, eat crow,
     eat humble pie, eddy, elude, evade, forswear, get around,
     go astern, go into reverse, gulf, gurge, hinterland, hold back,
     hold in check, hold up, impede, keep back, let down, let up,
     lose ground, lose momentum, lose speed, maelstrom, make sternway,
     moderate, obstruct, recant, reef, refluence, reflux, regurgitation,
     rein in, relax, renege, renounce, repudiate, resile, retard,
     retract, reverse, revoke, set back, shirk, sidestep, slack off,
     slack up, slacken, slow, slow down, slow up, stay, sticks, swallow,
     swirl, take back, take in sail, throttle down, twirl, unsay,
     up-country, vortex, welsh, whirl, whirlpool, withdraw
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  BACK-WATER. That water in a stream which, in consequence of some obstruction 
  below, is detained or checked in its course, or reflows. 
       2. Every riparian owner is entitled to the benefit of the water in its 
  natural state. Whenever, therefore, the owner of land dams or impedes the 
  water in such a manner as to back it on his neighbor above, he is liable to 
  an action; for no one has a right to alter the level of the water, either 
  where it enters, or where it leaves his property. 9 Co. 59; 1 B. & Ald. 258; 
  1 Wils. R. 178; 6 East, R. 203; 1 S. & Stu. 190.; 4 Day, R. 244; 7 Cowen, R. 
  266; 1 Rawle, R. 218; 5 N. R. Rep. 232; 9 Mass. R. 316; 7 Pick. R. 198; 4 
  Mason, R. 400; 1 Rawle, R. 27; 2 John. Ch. R. 162, 463; 1 Coxe's. R. 460. 
  Vide, Dam; Inundation; Water-course; and 5 Ohio R. 322.