backwater | Idiomator

Meaning: Thewaterheld back by adamor otherobstruction.1956May, “Beside a ThamesBackwater”, inRailway Magazine, page unnumbered, frontispiece:[…]Thebackwaterseparates the main line from Hinksey marshalling yards; (idiomatic,usuallyfigurative)Aremoteplace: somewhere that remains unaffected by newevents,progresses,ideas, etc; any field ofendeavorthat figuratively resembles such a place.Near-synonyms:(place)jerkwater town,one-horse town,Podunk;see alsoThesaurus:remote placean academicbackwater1953August, David R. Webb, “By Rail to Bournemouth”, inRailway Magazine, page556:Usually, however, this line, which once had a monopoly of all the traffic to Bournemouth, is a quietbackwatercarrying a purely local traffic.1978, National Opera Association –,The Opera Journal,page29:It's a volume for those who delight in exploring thebackwatersof nineteenth-century opera.1979October 12,Douglas Adams,The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, London:Pan Books,→ISBN:Far out in the unchartedbackwatersof the unfashionable end of the Western Spiral arm of the Galaxy lies a small unregarded yellow sun.2003September 21, Tom Hall, “Sunset in a one-pie town”, inThe Observer‎[2],→ISSN:What was once the industrial heart of Uruguay is now a quiet riversidebackwaterwhere nothing much happens—the shops don't bother to open until midday and not at all if it's raining.2014, Robert Kelly, Chung Wah Chow,Taiwan‎[3], 9th edition,Lonely Planet,→ISBN,→OCLC,page224:In the 19th century silt deposits began to block the harbour, and the city began to decline. To make matters worse, conservative elements in Lukang refused in the early 20th century to allow trains and modern highways to be built near their city. Lukang became abackwater, only to be reborn decades later when modern Taiwanese began to search for a living connection with the past.2024May 1, Tom Ingall, “Hope springs eternal for better services”, inRAIL, number1008, page53:The Hope Valley, while scenic, is no quietbackwater. There's no sign it will ever be one either.; Arowingstrokein which theoaris pushed forward tostoptheboat; seeback water; (paper industry)Water used in thepapermakingprocess. Recycled to reduce usage offresh water, and usually containing residual amounts ofchemicalsandfibres.[1]Synonym:overflow1908, An Old Machineman, “Re Back-water Query.”, inThe World's Paper Trade Review‎[4], page14:Theback-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 theback-wateron the paper machine.

Examples:

EN: - You were hoping that I'd leave this evening for your backwater ?
ES: - ¿Esperabas que me fuera esta noche a tu pueblucho?
EN: Yes, our place is a backwater.
ES: Sí, nuestro lugar es un remanso.
EN: Men, are we gonna backwater and let them get away with that?
ES: ¿Vamos a dejar que se salgan con la suya?
EN: Give way portside, backwater starboard.
ES: Avancen a babor, contracorriente a estribor.
EN: We're so removed from the scene of action in this peaceful backwater.
ES: Estamos tan alejados de la acción en estos tranquilos parajes.
EN: Still content to pick up trifles in this... backwater?
ES: ¿Aún conforme con mangar baratijas en este... cuchitril antediluviano?
EN: We simply can't remain here in this backwater until the war is over, Mr. Allnut.
ES: No podemos quedarnos en agua estancada hasta que acabe la guerra, Sr. Allnut.
EN: Sometimes in the very heart of London, the persevering explorer will stumble upon a quiet backwater, recalling the days when the busy capital was but a village.
ES: A veces en el mismo corazón de Londres, el explorador perseverante tropieza con un remanso de tranquilidad; que recuerda los días en que la ajetreada capital era solo una aldea.
EN: -It's a backwater place. -I don't really know.
ES: - Es un sitio de mala muerte.
EN: But that's a backwater!
ES: Pero eso es un remanso.
EN: What a waste just staying here in this backwater town.
ES: Sería un desperdicio quedarme en este pueblucho perdido.
EN: There is a nice backwater.
ES: Hay un bonito remanso.
EN: If we now join against Americans, spend the inland backwater to New Orleans each letter of the letters will be achieved.
ES: Si se une a nosotros en nuestro ataque contra América, guiándonos por los cayos hacia Nueva Orleans, todas las condiciones de estas cartas se cumplirán.
EN: Go in and search every backwater, channel, and wet spot in the swamp.
ES: Ir y buscar en los canales y humedales del pantano.
EN: Dedicated, highly skilled seamen... who chafed at inactivity here in this quiet backwater far from the battle lines... and awaited only the arrival of their commander to swing into action.
ES: Dedicados, expertos marinos.. irritados a causa de la inactividad, aqui en estas tranquilas aguas, lejos de las líneas de batalla... y esperando la llegada de su comandante para entrar en acción.

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