# 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.”

## What it means

- 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.

## Action steps

1. 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.
2. When quoting the origin, cite Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — this is a 19th-century record, not a modern etymology.

## Sources

- [Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898) — Wikisource proofread text](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Brewer%27s_Dictionary_of_Phrase_and_Fable/Aback)

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