It means "toward the back" just as "aside" means "toward the side".
The expression "taken aback" comes from sailing. In order for the sailboat to go forward, the wind must fill the back of the sail and push it forward. But if the sail is set at the wrong angle, the wind will fill the front of the sail instead, bringing it to a sudden stop and even pushing it backwards. Although this was sometimes used with large sailing ships as a kind of brake, generally it was not a desirable end. The reaction of someone who is stopped short by surprise was thought by sailors to be like a ship that was taken aback, so it was used metaphorically. Nowadays people mostly know only the metaphorical sense.
As an obsolete term, an aback refers to an abacus.
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The past tense of "be taken aback" is "wastaken aback".Example: "She was taken aback by the amazing fireworks."
"He was taken 'aback' by the story he heard"
aback is having the wind against the forward side of the sails.
It is a nautical term. When the sails of a squared-rigged sailing ship are suddenly carried by the wind back against the mast the ship is 'taken aback' and stopped dead. So that lead to a person being taken aback as well.
Taken aback
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aghast....taken aback....tight-lipped...
I was momentarily taken aback by the kitten's sudden defiance.
The word "patoohed" is a Scottish term that means to be surprised or astonished. It is often used in contexts where someone is taken aback by unexpected news or events. The expression conveys a sense of bewilderment or shock.
I was momentarily taken aback when the ploice officer said, "Catch you later."
Scheduling conflicts BUT there is a rumor that they met on the studio lot and she was taken aback by all of Elvis' Memphis Mafia members
not forwards behind Aback, abaft, behind, astern, hind, rear, posterior, tail, backward.