keep one's head above water without moving anywhere; just barely manage without moving ahead
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Tread water Definition from Encyclopedia Dictionaries & Glossaries
Water treading is an aspect of swimming that involves a swimmer staying in a vertical position in the water while keeping his or her head above the surface of the water. Treading water provides the swimmer an opportunity to keep the head from becoming submerged while not providing sufficient directional thrust to overcome inertia and propel the swimmer in any specific direction.
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