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Astonished vs Aback - What's the difference?

astonished | aback |

As an adjective astonished

is amazed; surprised.

As a verb astonished

is (astonish).

As an adverb aback is

(archaic) towards the back or rear; backwards .

As a noun aback is

(obsolete) an abacus.

astonished

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Amazed; surprised.

    • Synonyms

    * shocked * speechless * amazed * agape * bewildered * See also

    Verb

    (head)
  • (astonish)

    • 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