Thesaurus: aback

Related headwords

Definitions

1. adv. Toward the back or rear; backward.
2. adv. Behind; in the rear.
3. adv. Backward against the mast; -- said of the sails when pressed by the wind.
4. n. An abacus.
5. adv. having the wind against the forward side of the sails
6. adv. by surprise
7. 1. Toward the back or rear; backward. "Therewith aback she started." Chaucer. 2. Behind; in the rear. Knolles. 3. (Naut.) Backward against the mast;-said of the sails when pressed by the wind. Totten. To be taken aback. (a) To be driven backward against the mast; -- said of the sails, also of the ship when the sails are thus driven. (b) To be suddenly checked, baffled, or discomfited. Dickens. An abacus. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
8. Backward against the mast;-said of the sails when pressed bythe wind. Totten. To be taken aback. (a) To be driven backwardagainst the mast; -- said of the sails, also of the ship when thesails are thus driven. (b) To be suddenly checked, baffled, ordiscomfited. Dickens.
9. r:100 r. having the wind against the forward side of the sails r. by surprise