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Definition of Take aback
1. Verb. Surprise greatly; knock someone's socks off. "The performance is likely to take aback Sue"; "I was floored when I heard that I was promoted"
Generic synonyms: Surprise
Specialized synonyms: Galvanise, Galvanize, Startle
Derivative terms: Shock
Definition of Take aback
1. Verb. (idiomatic transitive) To surprise or shock; to discomfit. ¹
2. Verb. (nautical usually passive) Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Lexicographical Neighbors of Take Aback
Literary usage of Take aback
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. A Compendium of Molesworth's Marathi and English Dictionary by James Thomas Molesworth, Baba Padmanji (1863)
"To affright suddenly : to take aback ; to throw nil of a heap. A kind of bugle.
/. (A) Remainder. 2 Balance outstanding, a. Remaining. ..."
2. Thesaurus of English words and phrases, classified and arranged so as to by Peter Mark Roget (1858)
"... 296. believe, 484. understand, 518. to appropriate, 7t>9. receive, 785.
please, 829. take aback, 870. Take away, 38. 185. Take care, 864. ..."
3. A Dictionary of English Synonymes and Synonymous Or Parallel Expressions by Richard Soule (1891)
"take aback. Astonish, surprise, take by surprise, startle. Take advantage of. I.
Turn to account, make use of. Take after. I. Copy, imitate. 2. ..."
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