adv · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/əˈbæk/
General-American:/əˈbæk/
Geordie:/aˈbak/
New-Zealand:/əˈbe̞k/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Canada:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -æk
CMU ARPABET:AH0 B AE1 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
Towards the back or rear; backwards.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Geordie, archaic, not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adv
Meaning 2
In the rear; a distance behind.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: archaic, not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adv
Meaning 3
By surprise; startled; dumbfounded. (see usage)
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adv
Meaning 4
Backward against the mast; said of the sails when pressed by the wind from the "wrong" (forward) side, or of a ship when its sails are set that way.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: nautical, transport
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
An inscribed stone square.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: Early, Modern, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adverb
Meaning 6
by surprise
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
taken aback by the caustic remarks
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
adverb
Meaning 7
having the wind against the forward side of the sails
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the ship came up into the wind with all yards aback
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English abak, from Old English onbæc, equivalent to a- (“towards”) + back. Compare West Frisian tebek (“aback”, adverb, literally “to/at back”), Swedish tillbaka (idem.).
Etymology tree Ancient Greek ἄβαξ (ábax)der. Latin abacusbor. English aback Borrowed from Latin abacus.
Across languages
Translations
88 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Oromo:
rifachuu
— backwards
Oromo:
nahuu
— backwards
Oromo:
na'uu
— backwards
Albanian:
prapa
— backwards
Arabic:
إِلَى اَلْخَلْف
(ʔilā l-ḵalf)
— backwards
Bengali:
পেছন দিকে
— backwards
Bengali:
অবাক
(obak)
— backwards
Bulgarian:
назад
(nazad)
— backwards
Bulgarian:
заднишком
(zadniškom)
— backwards
Czech:
zpět
— backwards
Danish:
baglæns
— backwards
Dutch:
achterwaarts
— backwards
Dutch:
rugwaarts
— backwards
Esperanto:
malantaŭen
— backwards
Estonian:
tagasi
— backwards
Estonian:
tagaspidi
— backwards
Estonian:
tagurpidi
— backwards
Finnish:
takaisin
— backwards
Finnish:
taaksepäin
— backwards
French:
en arrière
— backwards
German:
rückwärts
— backwards
Greek:
προς τα πίσω
(pros ta píso)
— backwards
Hindi:
पीछ॓ की ओर
— backwards
Hindi:
बोचक्क
(bocakk)
— backwards
Italian:
indietro
— backwards
Japanese:
後方へ
(kōhō e)
— backwards
Kazakh:
артқа
(artqa)
— backwards
Latvian:
atpakaļ
— backwards
Norwegian:
bakk
— backwards
Persian:
جاخوردن
— backwards
Persian:
یکه خوردن
— backwards
Persian:
غافلگیرشدن
— backwards
Polish:
wstecz
— backwards
Polish:
do tyłu
— backwards
Portuguese:
atrás
— backwards
Portuguese:
para trás
— backwards
Russian:
наза́д
(nazád)
— backwards
Scottish Gaelic:
air ais
— backwards
Serbo-Croatian:
у̀наза̄д
— backwards
Serbo-Croatian:
на̏за̄д
— backwards
Serbo-Croatian:
на̏тра̄г
— backwards
Serbo-Croatian:
ùnazād
— backwards
Serbo-Croatian:
nȁzād
— backwards
Serbo-Croatian:
nȁtrāg
— backwards
Slovak:
naspäť
— backwards
Spanish:
atrás
— backwards
Spanish:
hacia atrás
— backwards
Swedish:
bakåt
— backwards
Telugu:
వెనక్కి
(venakki)
— backwards
Turkish:
geriye
— backwards
Ukrainian:
наза́д
(nazád)
— backwards
Bulgarian:
отзад
(otzad)
— in the rear
Danish:
bagi
— in the rear
Danish:
bagved
— in the rear
Dutch:
achteraan
— in the rear
Esperanto:
malantaŭe
— in the rear
Finnish:
takana
— in the rear
Finnish:
perässä
— in the rear
French:
derrière
— in the rear
German:
hinten
— in the rear
Italian:
dietro
— in the rear
Italian:
di dietro
— in the rear
Manx:
cooyl (aym)
— in the rear
Manx:
çheu choylloo (jeem)
— in the rear
Polish:
z tyłu
— in the rear
Portuguese:
atrás
— in the rear
Russian:
сза́ди
(szádi)
— in the rear
Russian:
позади́
(pozadí)
— in the rear
Swedish:
där bak
— in the rear
Ukrainian:
поза́ду
(pozádu)
— in the rear
Ukrainian:
зза́ду
(zzádu)
— in the rear
Vietnamese:
đằng sau
— in the rear
Vietnamese:
lùi lại
— in the rear
Vietnamese:
trở lại phía sau
— in the rear
Vietnamese:
về phía sau
— in the rear
Czech:
s větrem z přídě
— said of sails pressed backward
Dutch:
bak
— said of sails pressed backward
Dutch:
met een kopwind
— said of sails pressed backward
Esperanto:
malantaŭa
— said of sails pressed backward
Finnish:
pakilla
— said of sails pressed backward
Greek:
προς τα πίσω
(pros ta píso)
— said of sails pressed backward
Italian:
a collo
— said of sails pressed backward
Manx:
ergooyl
— said of sails pressed backward
Māori:
kōpio
— said of sails pressed backward
Polish:
bieg wsteczny
— said of sails pressed backward
Russian:
про́тив ве́тра
(prótiv vétra)
— said of sails pressed backward
