What does 'taken aback' mean?
To be 'taken aback' is to be greatly astonished, taken by surprise, or startled — from a sailing term for when a ship's sails are suddenly blown back against the mast. Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), human-proofread transcription on English Wikisource records: “I was taken aback —I was greatly astonished—taken by surprise—startled. It is a sea term. A ship is "taken aback" when the sails are suddenly carried by the wind back against the mast, instantly staying the ship's progress—very dangerous in a strong gale.”
Origin
- Verbatim from Brewer's (1898): I was taken aback —I was greatly astonished—taken by surprise—startled. It is a sea term. A ship is "taken aback" when the sails are suddenly carried by the wind back against the mast, instantly staying the ship's progress—very dangerous in a strong gale.
How to use it
- Modern usage: To be 'taken aback' is to be greatly astonished, taken by surprise, or startled — from a sailing term for when a ship's sails are suddenly blown back against the mast.
- When quoting the origin, cite Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — this is a 19th-century record, not a modern etymology.
Source:
Last verified: 2026-07-18
- Definitions and origins are drawn from public-domain reference works, primarily Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), with modern usage notes clearly marked.