abackadverbCollocations from the corpusActivator 1Phrases from this entryCorpus examplesabackabacka‧back /E™Eˆb?¦k/ adverbDate: 1100-1200 Language: Old English Origin: on b?¦câ€?backward’ be taken aback (by something)SURPRISED to be very surprised or shocked by something: For a moment, I was completely taken aback by her request.betake