back-paddle

American

[bak-pad-l] / ˈbækˌpæd l /

verb (used without object)

back-paddled, back-paddling

to propel a boat by paddling backward, as by using a stroke in the direction of stern to bow.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Halting safely just below the rapids at Little Falls, we did a quick back-paddle turn, and rode the current downstream with ease.

From New York Times • Aug. 17, 2019

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023