aback

English

/əˈbæk/, /əˈbæk/

adv
Definitions
  • (archaic) Towards the back or rear; backwards.
  • (archaic) In the rear; a distance behind.
  • By surprise; startled; dumbfounded. (see usage)
  • (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.

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English abak derived from Old English on (on, a, in, or toward, at) affix from English back (mild drink, back, chaser).

Origin

English

back

Gloss

mild drink, back, chaser

Concept
Semantic Field

The body

Ontological Category

Other

Kanji

後, 背

Emoji

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms