aback

[Fr. abaque.) A square tablet, a cartouche. [ABACUS.] "In the centre or midst of the pegm was an aback , in which the elegy was written."-Ben Jonson: King James Entertainment , vi. 436. a-back', *a-backe, a-bak, adv. [A.S. on bæc at or on the back.] I. Ordinary senses: 1. Backwards. "But when they came where thou thy skill didst show, They drew abacke , as half with shame confounded." Spenser : Shepheards Calender; June. 2. Behind = from behind. "Endangered her being set upon both before and abacke."-Knolles: Hist. of Turks, 8794. 3. Away, aloof. ( Scotch.) "O wad they stay aback frae courts An please themselves wi countra sports." Burns: The Twa Dogs. 4. Behind of place. (Scotch.) "The third that gaed a wee aback."-Burns. IMG:content-0008.png:[blocks in formation]