aback是什么意思

aback

英 [ə'bæk] 美 [ə'bæk]

adv. 向后；处于顶风位置；向后地；吓了一跳

中文词源

来自古英语短语 on back，其字面意思是“向后”，来自古代帆船时代的航海用语，用于表示帆船在前行的过程中被突然改变的风向，也就是突然向后吹的逆风阻挡而不能继续前行，由于这种逆风的突然性，往往使人大吃一惊，所以后来该词又延伸出引申义，表示“猝不及防地，突然地，震惊”。aback 现在主要存在于短语 take aback（使吃惊，使惊呆），在其他地方很少用到。

英文词源

aback (adv.): c. 1200, from Old English on bæc "at or on the back;" see back (n.). Now surviving mainly in taken aback, originally a nautical expression in reference to a vessel's square sails when a sudden change of wind flattens them back against the masts and stops the forward motion of the ship (1754). The figurative sense is first recorded 1840.

双语例句

1. Rather taken aback by such forwardness, I slammed down the phone.: 如此无礼的言语让我火冒三丈，我砰的一下把电话挂了。

2. Cross was a little taken aback by her abrupt manner.: 她鲁莽的态度让克罗斯感到有点吃惊。

3. Roland was taken aback by our strength of feeling.: 我们反应如此强烈，令罗兰大吃一惊。

4. Derek was taken aback when a man answered the phone.: 德里克吓了一跳，居然是一个男的接的电话。

5. The little girl screamed and it took us aback.: 小女孩的尖叫声吓了我们一跳.