English
aback
Aback comes from Middle English abak ‘backward, away’, and goes back to Old English onbæc.
- Old Englishc. 450–1150onbæc‘backwards, back’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500abak‘backward, away’
- Englishearliest quotation 1757aback
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Englishc. 450–1150onbæc‘backwards, back’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500abak‘backward, away’
- Englishearliest quotation 1757aback
Earliest quotation: 1757, Charles Fearne, The Trial of the Honourable Admiral John Byng: “Q. Was not the Trident at that time aback…”
Every English word from Old English onbæc
Today it means
adv Towards the back or rear; backwards.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old English onbæc / aback