First one oar is backing water, and then the other; it is seldom that both are going ahead at once.

"Here goes," I said, backing water with one oar and running the bow ashore.

The first line was in the river now, but the enemy galleys were backing water.

The paddlers backed water until the canoe was almost stopped.

The slaves backed water, and the ram came out: with a groan of split wood.

The creature backed water with its single long paddle so that the skiff stopped a few yards away from them.

They must be backing water to pull loose.

The oarsmen backed water; the same moment something went hot and hissing along every one of their wrists.

To the captain's shouted directions, his crew backed water.

The dam had backed water up the canyon and deepened it considerably.