aback
英[?'b?k]
美[?'b?k]
- adv. 向后；處于頂風位置；向后地；嚇了一跳
中文詞源
來自古英語短語 on back，其字面意思是“向后”，來自古代帆船時代的航海用語，用于表示帆船在前行的過程中被突然改變的風向，也就是突然向后吹的逆風阻擋而不能繼續前行，由于這種逆風的突然性，往往使人大吃一驚，所以后來該詞又延伸出引申義，表示“猝不及防地，突然地，震驚”。aback 現在主要存在于短語 take aback（使吃驚，使驚呆），在其他地方很少用到。
英文詞源
- aback (adv.)
- c. 1200, from Old English on b?c "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.
雙語例句
- 1. Rather taken aback by such forwardness, I slammed down the phone.
- 如此無禮的言語讓我火冒三丈，我砰的一下把電話掛了。
來自柯林斯例句
- 2. Cross was a little taken aback by her abrupt manner.
- 她魯莽的態度讓克羅斯感到有點吃驚。
來自柯林斯例句
- 3. Roland was taken aback by our strength of feeling.
- 我們反應如此強烈，令羅蘭大吃一驚。
來自柯林斯例句
- 4. Derek was taken aback when a man answered the phone.
- 德里克嚇了一跳，居然是一個男的接的電話。
來自柯林斯例句
- 5. The little girl screamed and it took us aback.
- 小女孩的尖叫聲嚇了我們一跳.
來自《簡明英漢詞典》