water carrier

American  

noun

1. a person who carries water, as to a body of troops.

2. a pipe, duct, or tank for conveying water.

3. a ship that transports goods or persons by waterway or sea routes.

---

Water Carrier ¹ British  

noun

1. the constellation Aquarius, the 11th sign of the zodiac

---

water carrier ² British  

noun

1. informal a football player who is regarded as hard-working and competent but is not a star player

---

Etymology

Origin of water carrier

First recorded in 1645–55

Example Sentences

While Erasmus moved around as a water carrier against the Lions, current South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber was able to watch from the coaching box.

From Seattle Times • May 17, 2022

All British efforts to get, say, the Poles or Frau Merkel to become the water carrier for the Tories’ attempt to get a deal they can live with have been for naught.

From Salon • Jul. 19, 2018

Nobody in the Eurogroup has more power than Schäuble, but Dijsselbloem has taken on the role of enforcer—or, to quote one unfriendly observer, water carrier.

From The New Yorker • Aug. 3, 2015

In the end Bayern stumped up the buy-out clause of €40m for him which, after all, is quite a lot for a water carrier.

From The Guardian • Dec. 21, 2012

And I recognize one of the Jewish boys from our synagogue—Benny, whose father works as a water carrier, delivering water to the houses from the town fountain, la fuentezica, as we call it.

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar