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Aardvark vs Aback - What's the difference?

aardvark | aback |

As nouns the difference between aardvark and aback

is that aardvark is the nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing, mammal while aback is (obsolete) an abacus.

As an adverb aback is

(archaic) towards the back or rear; backwards .

aardvark

English

(wikipedia aardvark) (Orycteropus afer)

Alternative forms

* aard-vark, erdvark

Noun

(en noun)
  • The nocturnal, insectivorous, burrowing, mammal
    • The aardvark burrows in the ground and feeds mostly on termites, which it catches with its long, slimy tongue.
  • A silly or credulous person who is prone to mistakes or blunders.
    • I walked into the wrong bathroom like a total aardvark .

    Synonyms

    * (mammal) African anteater, antbear, ant bear or ant-bear, anteater, earth pig

    aback

    English

    Etymology 1

    * From (etyl) . * . Compare West Frisian .

    Adverb

    (-)
  • (archaic) Towards the back or rear; backwards.
  • * (rfdate),
    • Therewith aback she started.
  • (archaic) In the rear; a distance behind.
    • (Knolles)
  • By surprise; startled; dumbfounded.
  • (nautical) Backward against the mast; said of the sails when pressed by the wind from the "wrong" (forward) side, or of a ship when its sails are set that way.
    • By setting the foresail aback and the headsail in the middle one can bring a fore-and-aft rigged sailing boat practically to a halt even in heavy wind.
    (Totten)
    Usage notes
    * (by surprise) Preceded by a form of the word take .

    See also

    *

    Etymology 2

    From abacus.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) An abacus.
    • (Ben Jonson)

    References