Definition of aback in English:

aback

adverb əˈbakəˈbæk

1archaic Towards or situated to the rear; back.
the little strip of pasture aback of the house
Example sentencesExamples
- Now he could look right through the tiny window over the roof, on to the tree-tops aback of the house.
- The two started down the dusty road and John was quick to follow, but his father's words pulled him aback.
2Sailing
With the sail pressed backwards against the mast by a headwind.
Peter holds the jib aback until our bow swings across the wind
Example sentencesExamples
- The wind came now from this side, now from that, determined to catch the sails aback.
- When a sloop is hove to she is stopped in the water by her foresail being sheeted aback, on the windward side.
- Peter holds the jib aback until our bow swings across the wind.
- Once the boat has tacked the jib will be aback.

Phrases

take someone aback

Shock or surprise someone.
he was taken aback by her directness
Example sentencesExamples
- But it was the theatrical brutality of the piece that took me aback.
- People in England are aware of the divide, but the extent of it took me aback.
- I was taken aback by that and answered with a question that has been bugging me.
- I was taken aback by his sudden mood change and shifted in the leather seat uncomfortably.
- He was so taken aback by the incident that he notified the local press in Donegal about it.
- I was a little taken aback by her use of the familiar term but I recovered quickly.
- Everyone at our table was taken aback at his rudeness toward a paying customer.
- The consul was present at the Supreme Court hearing, and I think she was taken aback and shocked by what she heard.
- When you go to such a place, you are taken aback by the youthfulness of the crowd.
- She was taken aback when he smiled and bowed his head to her.
Synonyms
surprise, shock, stun, stagger, astound, astonish, startle, take by surprise
dumbfound, daze, nonplus, stop someone in their tracks, stupefy, take someone's breath away
shake (up), jolt, throw, unnerve, disconcert, disturb, disquiet, unsettle, discompose, bewilder
informal flabbergast, knock for six, knock sideways, knock out, floor, strike dumb

Origin

Old English on bæc (see a-², back). The term came to be treated as a single word in nautical use.

Rhymes

alack, attack, back, black, brack, clack, claque, crack, Dirac, drack, flack, flak, hack, jack, Kazakh, knack, lack, lakh, mac, mach, Nagorno-Karabakh, pack, pitchblack, plaque, quack, rack, sac, sack, shack, shellac, slack, smack, snack, stack, tach, tack, thwack, track, vac, wack, whack, wrack, yak, Zack

Definition of aback in US English:

aback

adverbəˈbakəˈbæk

1archaic Toward or situated to the rear; back.
the little strip of pasture aback of the house
Example sentencesExamples
- Now he could look right through the tiny window over the roof, on to the tree-tops aback of the house.
- The two started down the dusty road and John was quick to follow, but his father's words pulled him aback.
2Sailing
With the sail pressed backward against the mast by a headwind.
Example sentencesExamples
- When a sloop is hove to she is stopped in the water by her foresail being sheeted aback, on the windward side.
- Once the boat has tacked the jib will be aback.
- The wind came now from this side, now from that, determined to catch the sails aback.
- Peter holds the jib aback until our bow swings across the wind.

Phrases

take someone aback

Shock or surprise someone.
he was taken aback by the sharpness in her voice
Example sentencesExamples
- He was so taken aback by the incident that he notified the local press in Donegal about it.
- But it was the theatrical brutality of the piece that took me aback.
- I was taken aback by that and answered with a question that has been bugging me.
- The consul was present at the Supreme Court hearing, and I think she was taken aback and shocked by what she heard.
- Everyone at our table was taken aback at his rudeness toward a paying customer.
- When you go to such a place, you are taken aback by the youthfulness of the crowd.
- I was taken aback by his sudden mood change and shifted in the leather seat uncomfortably.
- I was a little taken aback by her use of the familiar term but I recovered quickly.
- People in England are aware of the divide, but the extent of it took me aback.
- She was taken aback when he smiled and bowed his head to her.
Synonyms
surprise, shock, stun, stagger, astound, astonish, startle, take by surprise

Origin

Old English on bæc (see a-, back). The term came to be treated as a single word in nautical use.

单词	aback
释义	Definition of aback in English: aback adverb əˈbakəˈbæk 1archaic Towards or situated to the rear; back. the little strip of pasture aback of the house Example sentencesExamples Now he could look right through the tiny window over the roof, on to the tree-tops aback of the house. The two started down the dusty road and John was quick to follow, but his father's words pulled him aback. 2Sailing With the sail pressed backwards against the mast by a headwind. Peter holds the jib aback until our bow swings across the wind Example sentencesExamples The wind came now from this side, now from that, determined to catch the sails aback. When a sloop is hove to she is stopped in the water by her foresail being sheeted aback, on the windward side. Peter holds the jib aback until our bow swings across the wind. Once the boat has tacked the jib will be aback. Phrases take someone aback Shock or surprise someone. he was taken aback by her directness Example sentencesExamples But it was the theatrical brutality of the piece that took me aback. People in England are aware of the divide, but the extent of it took me aback. I was taken aback by that and answered with a question that has been bugging me. I was taken aback by his sudden mood change and shifted in the leather seat uncomfortably. He was so taken aback by the incident that he notified the local press in Donegal about it. I was a little taken aback by her use of the familiar term but I recovered quickly. Everyone at our table was taken aback at his rudeness toward a paying customer. The consul was present at the Supreme Court hearing, and I think she was taken aback and shocked by what she heard. When you go to such a place, you are taken aback by the youthfulness of the crowd. She was taken aback when he smiled and bowed his head to her. Synonyms surprise, shock, stun, stagger, astound, astonish, startle, take by surprise dumbfound, daze, nonplus, stop someone in their tracks, stupefy, take someone's breath away shake (up), jolt, throw, unnerve, disconcert, disturb, disquiet, unsettle, discompose, bewilder informal flabbergast, knock for six, knock sideways, knock out, floor, strike dumb Origin Old English on bæc (see a-², back). The term came to be treated as a single word in nautical use. Rhymes alack, attack, back, black, brack, clack, claque, crack, Dirac, drack, flack, flak, hack, jack, Kazakh, knack, lack, lakh, mac, mach, Nagorno-Karabakh, pack, pitchblack, plaque, quack, rack, sac, sack, shack, shellac, slack, smack, snack, stack, tach, tack, thwack, track, vac, wack, whack, wrack, yak, Zack adv..1 phr. Definition of aback in US English: aback adverbəˈbakəˈbæk 1archaic Toward or situated to the rear; back. the little strip of pasture aback of the house Example sentencesExamples Now he could look right through the tiny window over the roof, on to the tree-tops aback of the house. The two started down the dusty road and John was quick to follow, but his father's words pulled him aback. 2Sailing With the sail pressed backward against the mast by a headwind. Example sentencesExamples When a sloop is hove to she is stopped in the water by her foresail being sheeted aback, on the windward side. Once the boat has tacked the jib will be aback. The wind came now from this side, now from that, determined to catch the sails aback. Peter holds the jib aback until our bow swings across the wind. Phrases take someone aback Shock or surprise someone. he was taken aback by the sharpness in her voice Example sentencesExamples He was so taken aback by the incident that he notified the local press in Donegal about it. But it was the theatrical brutality of the piece that took me aback. I was taken aback by that and answered with a question that has been bugging me. The consul was present at the Supreme Court hearing, and I think she was taken aback and shocked by what she heard. Everyone at our table was taken aback at his rudeness toward a paying customer. When you go to such a place, you are taken aback by the youthfulness of the crowd. I was taken aback by his sudden mood change and shifted in the leather seat uncomfortably. I was a little taken aback by her use of the familiar term but I recovered quickly. People in England are aware of the divide, but the extent of it took me aback. She was taken aback when he smiled and bowed his head to her. Synonyms surprise, shock, stun, stagger, astound, astonish, startle, take by surprise Origin Old English on bæc (see a-, back). The term came to be treated as a single word in nautical use. adv..1 phr.
随便看	without ornament/ornamentation without paid employment without parallel without pay without paying without payment without peer without peer without planning without power without prearrangement without prejudice without prejudice without premeditation without preparation without preservatives without pretence without prevarication without price without punishment without purpose without qualification without question without reason without recourse