aback
Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /əˈbæk/
  • (America) IPA: /əˈbæk/
Adverb

aback (not comparable)

  1. (archaic) Towards the back or rear; backwards. [First attested prior to 1150.]
  2. (archaic) In the rear; a distance behind. [First attested prior to 1150.]
  3. By surprise; startled; dumbfounded. (see usage)
  4. (nautical) Backward against the mast; said of the sails when pressed by the wind from the "wrong" (forward) side, or of a ship when its sails are set that way. [First attested in the late 17th century.]
Translations Translations Translations
  • Italian: a collo
  • Russian: про́тив ве́тра
Noun

aback (plural abacks)

  1. (obsolete) An abacus.



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