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Abaca vs Aback - What's the difference?

abaca | aback |

As nouns the difference between abaca and aback

is that abaca is the abaca plant while aback is (obsolete) an abacus.

As an adverb aback is

(archaic) towards the back or rear; backwards .

abaca

English

(Musa textilis) (Musa textilis)

Alternative forms

*

Noun

  • (uncountable) The fiber of this plant, used in rope.

    • Synonyms

    * (plant) Manila Hemp, Manilla hemp * (fibre) Manila hemp, Manilla hemp

    Anagrams

    *

    References

    ----

    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