water back
Americannoun
noun
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.
Burnham has repeatedly advocated bringing water "back under stronger public control", pointing to the Greater Manchester bus network, which is run by private operators but has public oversight and control, as a model.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
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
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
“The stream has been completely dried up by BlueTriton, and BlueTriton needs to put some water back in the stream to meet state and federal requirements,” Loe said.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 26, 2024
“Don’t worry, I’ll bring enough water back for all of us,” I say, and I follow him into the woods leaving Chou and Pithy behind.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
