Aback

What do we mean by aback?

By surprise. adverb

In such a way that the wind pushes against the forward side of a sail or sails. adverb

Back; backward. adverb

An abacus, or something resembling one, as a flat, square stone, or a square compartment. noun

Toward the back or rear; backward; rearward; regressively.

On or at the back; behind; from behind.

Away; aloof.

Ago: as, “eight days aback,” Ross.

Nautical, in or into the condition of receiving the wind from ahead; with the wind acting on the forward side: said of a ship or of her sails.

Figuratively, suddenly or unexpectedly checked, confounded, or disappointed: as, he was quite taken aback when he was refused admittance.

All aback (

An abacus. noun

Toward the back or rear; backward. adverb

Behind; in the rear. adverb

Backward against the mast; -- said of the sails when pressed by the wind. adverb

To be suddenly checked, baffled, or discomfited. adverb

An abacus. noun

By surprise; startled; dumbfounded. adverb

By surprise adverb

Having the wind against the forward side of the sails adverb

Towards the back or rear; backwards.

In the rear; a distance behind.

By surprise; startled; dumbfounded. (see usage)

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.

*Taken Aback* Surprised, Shocked. Urban Dictionary

One of the hazards faced in days of sailing ships has been incorporated into English to describe someone who has been jolted by unpleasant news. We say that person has been "taken aback." The person is at a momentary loss; unable to act or even to speak. A danger faced by sailing ships was for a sudden shift in wind to come up (from a sudden squall), blowing the sails back against the masts, putting the ship in grave danger of having the masts break off and rendering the ship totally helpless. The ship was taken aback. Urban Dictionary

Words that are spelled similarly to aback:
aback, back, abaca, alack, abaci, abask, abac, abaco, abace, arack, abacc, abacá, amack, abac�.

Words that are triggered by (strongly associated with) the word aback:
remark, revelation, sudden, asks, replied, agrees, attitude, surprised, upset, knows, explaining, seeing, questioned, announcement, knowing, tries, looks, asking, suddenly, hear, discover, tells, surprise, know, sees, told, beauty, learn, moment, asked, explained, reaction, begins, says, everyone, wearing, else, questions, crowd, anyone, response, gay, herself, proposal, why, felt, request, leaves, manner, someone, heard, saying, thing, unable, think, incident, talk, how, fact, tried, woman.

Words that rhyme with aback:
back, black, track, hack, pack, jack, attack, crack, rack, stack, lack, feedback, tack, plaque, sack, slack, sac, smack, flak, knack, mac, setback, shack, snack, whack, wrack, lac, tarmac, yak, piggyback, drawback, tac, wack, ransack, maniac, anorak, almanac, flack, pac, lilac, zodiac, hijack, quack, megalomaniac, kickback, throwback, cognac, cardiac, paque, ack, kodak, flashback, backtrack, backpack, clack, fallback, fac, comeback, blackjack, rucksack, sidetrack, outback, cadillac, nymphomaniac, payback, mack, skipjack, push back, hold back, lumberjack, flapjack, knickknack, wisecrack, pak, claque, knapsack, unpack, chirac, counterattack, quarterback, rollback, frack, jacques, dak, greenback, insomniac, humpback, razorback, pontiac, yack, thwack, cutback, amnesiac, brack, eniac, hatchback, bushwhack, plack, soundtrack, racetrack.

Adjectives that are often used to describe aback:
flat, little, french, pick, dead, topsail, sail, full, british, sharp, main, sore, hand, ail.

Consonant match to aback:
ebook, e-book, ibook, e book, urbach, ibach, ab hoc, e back, er back, eye back, hay back, her back, hi back, high back, o back, owe back.

Words that sound like aback:
aback, abag, ebook, apeak, apoc, ubc, tabak, ibook, tabac, abask, ibach, obic, abic, apac, e-book, opac, abac, aipac, abec, e book, kbac, epic, oblique, abou, unpack, epoch, abash, abot, lubbock, abee, aboo, epik, a b, upc, wcw, a-ok, abye, the book, capac, ibk, abox, apax, ebk, abiah, abae, chubbuck, epoche, ipic, the pack, abang, jabbok, umbach, aboa, dubach, unbag, aboi, upk, abai, payback, opaque, outback, spac, lay back, layback, spak, spack, opic, pay back, go back, opec, buyback, be back, ryback, iak, apec, boback, oblak, all back, epoc, dbag, roback, oac, apic, dieback, eyeblack, abk, opake, lie back, hoback, iaq, die back, eye black, abig, ambac, ease back, rowback, ayak, buy back, ong bak, ooak.