aback: Meaning and Definition of

a•back

Pronunciation: (u-bak'), [key]
— adv.
  1. toward the back.
  2. so that the wind presses against the forward side of the sail or sails.
  3. surprised and disconcerted: I was taken aback by his harsh criticism.
—adj.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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