backset
UK: ˈbæksɛt | US: ˈbækˌsɛt
n. 1. A setback or reversal in progress or condition.
n. 2. (Agriculture) Water held back by an obstruction, often causing flooding in fields.
n. 3. (Engineering) A backward flow or eddy in a current.
The word "backset" combines "back" (from Old English bæc, meaning "rearward") and "set" (from Old English settan, meaning "to place or fix"). Originally used in agricultural contexts to describe water held back by barriers, it later generalized to mean any reversal or obstruction. The logic reflects physical or metaphorical "setting back" of progress.
The project suffered a significant backset due to budget cuts.
Farmers struggled with crop damage caused by the backset of floodwaters.
The river’s backset created dangerous swimming conditions.
After a brief recovery, the patient experienced another backset.
Engineers designed a barrier to prevent backset in the irrigation system.