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undertow
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As a verb, undertow means pull or tow under. As a noun, it means a short-range flow of water returning seaward from the waves breaking on the shore.
Meanings of undertow
7 meaningsverb
To pull or tow under; drag beneath; pull down.
To pull down by, or as by, an undertow.
To flow or behave as an undertow.
noun
A short-range flow of water returning seaward from the waves breaking on the shore.
“A strong undertow may sweep a returning swimmer off their feet but it does not carry them far from the shore.”
A feeling that runs contrary to one's normal one.
An inclination contrary to the strongest or prevailing feelingfeeling
“his account had a poignant undertow of regret”
The seaward undercurrent created after waves have broken on the shore
Similar: sea puss, sea-puss, sea purse, sea-purse, sea-poose
Meanings from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).