| Word | Take someone aback |
|---|---|
| Description | Shock, surprise or disconcert someone The phrase is frequently used in the passive form (be taken aback). This was adopted in the mid 19th century from earlier (mid 18th-century) nautical terminology, to describe the situation of a ship with its sails pressed back against the mast by a headwind, preventing forward movement. 1991 Kathleen Jones Learning Not To Be First : They were taken aback by the shabbiness of the hotel and lack of cleanliness in the city generally. Shock, surprise or disconcert someone The phrase is frequently used in the passive form (be taken aback). This was adopted in the mid 19th century from earlier (mid 18th-century) nautical terminology, to describe the situation of a ship with its sails pressed back against the mast by a headwind, preventing forward movement. 1991 Kathleen Jones Learning Not To Be First : They were taken aback by the shabbiness of the hotel and lack of cleanliness in the city generally. Shock, surprise or disconcert someone The phrase is frequently used in the pass |
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