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Glite Dictionary
to carry water for

to carry water for

1 8.5
Support or defend someone in a group, often without getting anything
  • phrasal verb
  • /ˈkæri ˈwɔtər fɔr/
  • Informal
: defender a
  • It's the willingness to carry water for an agenda that would certainly be sinister if it had not been so thoroughly debunked over the past twenty years.

Examples

  • Many critics argue that the news outlet is carrying water for the government rather than presenting the facts.

  • This isn't to carry water for congressional Democrats.

    Blog text (33)

  • I am tired of MSNBC, including Rachel and Keith carrying water for the military as well.

    Blog text (33)

  • So, of course, it's quite possible to go from nothing to major party status—at least in certain unique situations—provided you're willing to carry water for the one percenters.

    Blog text (33)

  • The politician has been accused of carrying water for big corporations instead of the voters.

  • She refused to carry water for anyone who sought personal gain at the expense of others.

Synonyms

to pull for
vsto carry water for
  • Informal
23 4.2

Support someone in a competition or hard situation

offers formal or active defense within groups often without personal reward
to throw one's weight behind
vsto carry water for
3 6.6

To support a person or idea by using your influence

backs in a supportive role without using power often without benefit
to carry someone's water
vsto carry water for
  • Informal
1 9.9

To support someone and do things for them without asking questions

supports or defends for no personal gain rather than out of obedience

Antonyms

to oppose
∞ 2.9

To be against something and try to stop it

How Supportive

to champion
64 4.2
to stand up for
256 2.7
to carry water for
  • Informal
1 8.5
to back
932 1.0
to support
∞ 1.0

Surface Forms

carry water for infinitive
carried water for past
carried water for past participle
carrying water for present participle
carries water for third person singular

Morphology

carry + water + for

The literal image of 'carry' + 'water' + 'for' (doing work on behalf of someone) gives a plausible sense of providing help or service, so a B1 learner might infer a general notion of supporting someone. However, the specific pragmatic sense of defending or politically supporting someone (often without benefit) is a metaphorical, discourse-specific extension that is not fully predictable from the constituents and is not universally mirrored across languages.

Etymology

Carry water for may come from the simple image of a person who carries water for someone else, doing a plain, unpaid task to help or protect them. So, it now means 'to support or defend someone', often without getting anything in return.