backwater

1. (idiomatic, usually figurative) A remote place: somewhere that remains unaffected by new events, progresses, ideas, etc; any field of endeavor that figuratively resembles such a place.Examples: "Near-synonyms: (place) jerkwater town, one-horse town, Podunk; see also Thesaurus:remote place"; "an academic backwater"; "Usually, however, this line, which once had a monopoly of all the traffic to Bournemouth, is a quiet backwater carrying a purely local traffic."figurativelyidiomaticusually

2. (paper industry) Water used in the papermaking process. Recycled to reduce usage of fresh water, and usually containing residual amounts of chemicals and fibres.Examples: "The back-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 the back-water on the paper machine."Synonyms: overflow