aback
/əˈbak
/adverb
1 archaic Towards or situated to the rear; back: the little strip of pasture 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.
- Now he could look right through the tiny window over the roof, on to the tree-tops aback of the house.
2 Sailing With the sail pressed backwards against the mast by a headwind: Peter holds the jib aback until our bow swings across the wind...
- 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
Origin
Old English on bæc (see a-2, back). The term came to be treated as a single word in nautical use.
Rhymes
- mysterious
- mysteriously
- mysteriousness
- mysterium
- mysterium tremendum
- mystery
- mystery bag
- mystery cult
- mystery envelope
- mystery man
- mystery meat
- mystery-monger
- mystery-mongering
- mystery novel
- mystery play
- mystery religion
- mystery ship
- mystery shopper
- mystery story
- mystery tour
- mystery train
- mystery trip
- mystery woman
- mystery writer
- mystes