take aback

Surprise, shock, as in He was taken aback by her caustic remark. This idiom comes from nautical terminology of the mid-1700s, when be taken aback referred to the stalling of a ship caused by a wind shift that made the sails lay back against the masts. Its figurative use was first recorded in 1829.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Marit	-	Swedish, Norwegian
Augustinus	-	Ancient Roman
Saturn	SA-tərn (English)	Roman Mythology (Anglicized)
Sorne	-	Basque
Ottoline	-	English (Rare)
Holly	['hɔli]