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water back

American  

noun

  1. a reservoir or arrangement of tubing at the back of certain stoves or fireplaces for containing water to be heated by the fire.


water back British  

noun

  1. the US name for back boiler

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of water back

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65

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.

See Examples For:

That would be like the captain of the Titanic trying to save the ship by drilling more holes in the bottom, in the hope that they would let the water back out.

From MarketWatch Jan. 9, 2026

Welsh Water CEO Peter Perry has apologised to customers, and said the company was working "around the clock" to get water back on, as well as providing alternative supplies.

From BBC Aug. 15, 2025

That’s why the city decided to put non-potable water back into residents’ homes rather than waiting until the water was safe to drink.

From Slate Nov. 2, 2024

“Our goal was to get that water back in the creek and protect the forest,” Frye said.

From Los Angeles Times Aug. 7, 2024

After giving me a kiss on the head, she carried the water back to her bedroom and left me to think.

From "Hope Springs" by Jaime Berry

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