Usually means: Surprise or shock someone greatly.
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We found 10 dictionaries that define the word take aback:

General (9 matching dictionaries)
  1. take aback: Merriam-Webster
  2. take aback: Collins English Dictionary
  3. take aback: Vocabulary.com
  4. take aback: Wiktionary
  5. take aback: Dictionary.com
  6. take aback: Rhymezone
  7. take aback: FreeDictionary.org
  8. take aback: Mnemonic Dictionary
  9. take aback: TheFreeDictionary.com

Computing (1 matching dictionary)
  1. take aback: Encyclopedia

Definitions from Wiktionary (take aback)

verb:  (idiomatic, transitive) To surprise or shock; to discomfit.
verb:  (nautical, usually passive) Of a ship: to catch it with the sails aback suddenly.

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