brace aback

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

to bring the wind onto the forward side of the sails to slow the ship

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “brace aback” mean?

to bring the wind onto the forward side of the sails to slow the ship

Is “brace aback” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.