Talk:back water

back water
Both verb senses: are these regional or obsolete or something? --Connel MacKenzie 04:31, 27 December 2007 (UTC)
 * The first sense, when propoerly defined, refers to rowing a boat aftward as part of a retreat, escape, docking, or turning maneuver. To stop a boat you would drag the oars in the water, increasing the portion of the oar in the water until the speed was very slow, whereupon backing water would be practical. It is discussed in translations of Thuydides and in contemporary articles about competitive rowing. I could certainly cite it.
 * The second, figurative, sense may exist, but back-pedalling would be much more widely understood.
 * Second sense seems to be closer to meaning "retreat". DCDuring 06:08, 27 December 2007 (UTC)