carry water

carry (someone's) water

To be subservient to and uncritical of someone; to do someone's bidding. The dictator made sure to surround himself with those who would eagerly carry his water. I hate my job. I have to carry my boss's water or risk getting fired!
See also: carry, water

carry water for (someone)

1. To serve, assist, or perform menial or difficult tasks for some person, group, or organization. Internships are a great way to gain practical work experience, but you'll be the one carrying water for the company while you're there. Immigrant workers are most often the ones who carry water for farm owners and construction firms.
2. To support a person, organization, or cause that one would not in reality endorse, as due to pressure, force, or pragmatic reasons. Once elected to congress, I soon realized that you must carry water for many groups that run contrary to your own personal politics. Though I personally found him repugnant, I carried water for him for two years because I thought it would open up many career opportunities.
See also: carry, water
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

carry (someone's) water

To support someone, especially in an submissive or uncritical manner.
See also: carry, water
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • carry (someone's) water
  • truckle
  • truckle to
  • truckle to (someone or something)
  • under the heel of
  • under the heel of (someone)
  • under the heel of somebody
  • welcome someone with open arms
  • greet (someone or something) with open arms
  • receive with open arms
References in classic literature
And, so saying, she set the girl down to spin yarn, and she gave the boy a sieve in which to carry water from the well, and she herself went out into the wood.
So the girl set out to look for the cat, and, as she was hunting about, she met her brother, in great trouble because he could not carry water from the well in a sieve, as it came pouring out as fast as he put it in.
Yellow Fairy Book
But about the wicked there is another strain; they bury them in a slough in Hades, and make them carry water in a sieve; also while they are yet living they bring them to infamy, and inflict upon them the punishments which Glaucon described as the portion of the just who are reputed to be unjust; nothing else does their invention supply.
Republic
He was not fit to carry water for her - he knew that; it was a miracle of luck and a fantastic stroke that had enabled him to see her and be with her and talk with her that night.
Martin Eden
If she only had some little receptacle in which to carry water, even a small amount would tide her over until the following night; but she had nothing and so she must content herself as best she could with the juices of the fruit and tubers she had gathered.
The Chessmen of Mars
The visitors used to carry water bottles which were asked to be dumped in the trash bins or left at the entrance of the trails,' he added.
IWMB face littering issue at Trails
The many water channels and small lines from around the city carry water to Leh.
Leh Nullah
1 When hiking, carry water for your dog and yourself.
Five Safe Water Tips: Water sources are not always safe for your dog to drink
And we always carry water in steel bottles when stepping out, and my children take food in steel tiffin boxes to school.
Every reader should join KT campaign
ENID The city of Enid is negotiating easements and rights of way along the route of a 70-mile pipeline to carry water from Kaw Lake to a new treatment plant.
Enid seeks easements for pipeline
Women and girls who carry water have to walk long distances and become vulnerable to physical and sexual assault.
THE ISSUE IS..
He said this suspicion had been supported by the local figures' penchant to 'carry water for the politicians'.
Jho Low is nobody's bagman, says 'Whale' author
According to family members, the errand was as a result of the child's failure to carry water from home when she went back to school for afternoon lessons.
Class two girl drowns in Meru while fetching school water as punishment
'Without water at homes, people carry water in their vehicles while those who don't have cars are spending hours every day traveling to the pond and carrying water.' Similarly, a shopkeeper said that as the water treatment plant has missed its completion deadlines, Samdrup Jongkhar town has been struggling with an acute shortage of drinking water.
S/jongkhar water treatment plant misses second construction deadline
But who would address the apprehensions of Sindh regarding the construction of a Right Bank Canal that would carry water to Dera Ismail Khan?
National consensus and KD