Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [bak waw-ter, wot-er]
- /bæk ˈwɔ tər, ˈwɒt ər/
- /bæk ˈwɔːtə(r)/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [bak waw-ter, wot-er]
- /bæk ˈwɔ tər, ˈwɒt ər/
Definitions of back water words
- verb back water to reverse the direction of a boat, esp to push the oars of a rowing boat to slow it down or stop it 3
- noun back water to use oars, a propeller, etc. to move backward or prevent drifting 3
- noun back water to withdraw from a position or a claim 3
- noun back water the rear part of the human body, extending from the neck to the lower end of the spine. 1
- noun back water the part of the body of animals corresponding to the human back. 1
- noun back water the rear portion of any part of the body: the back of the head. 1
Information block about the term
Origin of back water
First appearance:
before 1000 One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1000; Middle English bak, Old English bæc back of the body; cognate with Old Frisian bek, Old Saxon, Old Norse bak; perhaps < Indo-European *bhogo- bending; cf. bacon
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Back water
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
back water popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 100% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
back water usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for back water
verb back water
- decelerate — When a vehicle or machine decelerates or when someone in a vehicle decelerates, the speed of the vehicle or machine is reduced.
- hinder — to cause delay, interruption, or difficulty in; hamper; impede: The storm hindered our progress.
- retard — to make slow; delay the development or progress of (an action, process, etc.); hinder or impede.
- moderate — kept or keeping within reasonable or proper limits; not extreme, excessive, or intense: a moderate price.
- slacken — If something slackens or if you slacken it, it becomes slower, less active, or less intense.
Antonyms for back water
verb back water
- aid — Aid is money, equipment, or services that are provided for people, countries, or organizations who need them but cannot provide them for themselves.
- assist — If you assist someone, you help them to do a job or task by doing part of the work for them.
- facilitate — to make easier or less difficult; help forward (an action, a process, etc.): Careful planning facilitates any kind of work.
- further — at or to a great distance; a long way off; at or to a remote point: We sailed far ahead of the fleet.
- grow — to increase by natural development, as any living organism or part by assimilation of nutriment; increase in size or substance.
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with b
- Words starting with ba
- Words starting with bac
- Words starting with back
- Words starting with backw
- Words starting with backwa
- Words starting with backwat
- Words starting with backwate
- Words starting with backwater