Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [tey-kuh n uh-bak]
- /ˈteɪ kən əˈbæk/
- /ˈteɪ.kən əˈbæk/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [tey-kuh n uh-bak]
- /ˈteɪ kən əˈbæk/
Definitions of taken aback words
- adverb taken aback toward the back. 1
- adverb taken aback Nautical. so that the wind presses against the forward side of the sail or sails. 1
- adjective taken aback (of a sail) positioned so that the wind presses against the forward side. 1
- adjective taken aback (of a yard) positioned so that its sail is laid aback. 1
- idioms taken aback taken aback, surprised and disconcerted: I was taken aback by his harsh criticism. 1
- adjective taken aback surprised, astonished 1
Information block about the term
Origin of taken aback
First appearance:
before 1000 One of the 6% oldest English words
before 1000; Middle English abak, Old English on bæc to the rear. See a-1 on, back1
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Taken aback
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
taken aback popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 87% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".
taken aback usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for taken aback
adj taken aback
- abashed — If you are abashed, you feel embarrassed and ashamed.
- addlepated — addlebrained.
- at a loss — If a business produces something at a loss, they sell it at a price which is less than it cost them to produce it or buy it.
- at sea — At sea means on or under the sea, far away from land.
- at sixes and sevens — If you say that someone or something is at sixes and sevens, you mean that they are confused or disorganized.
adjective taken aback
- amazed — filled with incredulity or surprise
- awed — wondering and respectful
- bamboozled — to deceive or get the better of (someone) by trickery, flattery, or the like; humbug; hoodwink (often followed by into): They bamboozled us into joining the club. Synonyms: gyp, dupe, trick, cheat, swindle, defraud, flimflam, hoax, gull, rook; delude, mislead, fool.
- chagrined — If you are chagrined by something, it disappoints, upsets, or annoys you, perhaps because of your own failure.
- dazzled — to overpower or dim the vision of by intense light: He was dazzled by the sudden sunlight.
Antonyms for taken aback
adjective taken aback
- emboldened — Having been made bold.
- expectant — Having or showing an excited feeling that something is about to happen, especially something pleasant and interesting.
- oriented — the Orient, the countries of Asia, especially East Asia. (formerly) the countries to the E of the Mediterranean.
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with t
- Words starting with ta
- Words starting with tak
- Words starting with take
- Words starting with taken
- Words starting with takena
- Words starting with takenab
- Words starting with takenaba
- Words starting with takenabac
- Words starting with takenaback