Flows back, as the tide (4)
I believe the answer is:
ebbs
<span class="explanation-format__ClueExplanation">'<span class="explanation-format__original">flows back as the tide</span>' is the definition.<br/ ><span class="explanation-format__explanation">(I've seen this in another clue)</span><br/ ><br/ >This is the entire clue.<br/ ></span>
(Other definitions for ebbs that I've seen before include "Declines gradually" , "Subsides" , "flags" , "Wanes" , "Goes out like tide" .)