aback

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Contents

[edit] English

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Etymology 1

  • Middle English abak
  • Anglo-Saxon on bæc "at, on, or toward the back"; formed as a- + back

[edit] Adverb

aback (not comparable)

Positive
aback

Comparative
not comparable

Superlative
none (absolute)
  1. (rare) Towards the back or rear; backwards; away.
    Therewith aback she started. - Geoffrey Chaucer
  2. Behind; in the rear.
  3. (nautical) Backward against the mast; said of the sails when pressed by the wind.
    They sailed aback. --- They sailed against the wind.
[edit] Derived terms
[edit] Translations
backwards
in the rear
said of sails pressed backward
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Translations to be checked

[edit] Etymology 2

From abacus

[edit] Noun

Singular
aback

Plural
abacks

aback (plural abacks)

  1. (obsolete) An abacus.
[edit] Translations
abacus — see abacus
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