backwater

backwater
noun Date: 1629 1. a. water backed up in its course by an obstruction, an opposing current, or the tide b. a body of water (as an inlet or tributary) that is out of the main current of a larger body 2. a. an isolated or backward place or condition b. an unpopular or unimportant field (as of study or business)

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • Backwater — or Backwaters may refer to:* Backwater (Brian Eno), a song by Brian Eno * Backwater (novel), a novel by Joan Bauer * Backwater (single), a song recorded by the Meat Puppets * Backwater Reservoir, a reservoir in north west Angus, Scotland *… …   Wikipedia

  • backwater — [bak′wôt΄ər] n. 1. water moved backward or held back by a dam, tide, etc. 2. stagnant water in a small stream or inlet 3. a place or condition regarded as stagnant, backward, etc. [a cultural backwater] adj. like a backwater; backward …   English World dictionary

  • 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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • backwater — late 14c., water behind a dam, from BACK (Cf. back) + WATER (Cf. water). Hence flat water without a current near a flowing river, as in a mill race (1820); figurative use of this for any flat, dull place is from 1899 …   Etymology dictionary

  • backwater — ► NOUN 1) a part of a river not reached by the current, where the water is stagnant. 2) a place or state in which no development is taking place …   English terms dictionary

  • backwater — [[t]bæ̱kwɔːtə(r)[/t]] backwaters 1) N COUNT: usu with supp A backwater is a place that is isolated. ...a quiet rural backwater. 2) N COUNT: usu with supp (disapproval) If you refer to a place or institution as a backwater, you think it is not… …   English dictionary

  • backwater — n. a cultural backwater * * * [ bækˌwɔːtə] a cultural backwater …   Combinatory dictionary

  • backwater — /bak waw teuhr, wot euhr/, n. 1. water held or forced back, as by a dam, flood, or tide. 2. a place or state of stagnant backwardness: This area of the country is a backwater that continues to resist progress. 3. an isolated, peaceful place. 4. a …   Universalium

  • backwater — 1. noun a) The water held back by a dam or other obstruction Its a volume for those who delight in exploring the backwaters of nineteenth century opera b) A remote place; somewhere that remains unaffected by new events, progresses, ideas, etc.… …   Wiktionary

  • backwater — back|wa|ter [ˈbækwo:tə US wo:tər, wa: ] n 1.) a very quiet place not influenced by outside events or new ideas used to show disapproval ▪ a rural backwater 2.) a part of a river away from the main part, where the water does not move …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • backwater — back|wa|ter [ bæk,wɔtər ] noun singular 1. ) a place, situation, or organization in which nothing exciting or important happens, and in which people still have old fashioned ideas: The city was seen as a provincial backwater. 2. ) an area of… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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