Dictionary

aback en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /əˈbæk/ (General-American)
• /əˈbæk/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /əˈbe̞k/ (New-Zealand)
• /aˈbak/ (Geordie)
• (Canada) audio
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Ancient Greek ἄβαξ (ábax)der. Latin abacusbor. English aback Borrowed from Latin abacus.

Meanings

1. (Early, Modern, obsolete) An inscribed stone square.
   • In the Centre, or midst of the Pegm, there was an Aback, or Square, wherein this Elogy was written. 1604, Ben Jonson, “Part of the King's Entertainment in Passing to His Coronation”, in The Works of Ben Jonson, London: Printed by Thomas Hodgkin, published 1692, page 306:

Forms