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Take aback

//ˌteɪk əˈbæk// verb

Definitions

Verb
  1. 1
    To surprise or shock; to discomfit. idiomatic, transitive

    "I was rather taken aback by his angry reply."

  2. 2
    surprise greatly; knock someone's socks off wordnet
  3. 3
    Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly. passive, usually

Etymology

From take + aback, see the two entries for their respective etymology.

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