The term 'BE taken aback' can BE broken down into two words: 'BE' and 'taken aback'. The first word, 'BE', is a 5-letter word that is used as an auxiliary verb to indicate the present tense. The second word, 'taken aback', is a 4-letter word that means to BE surprised or shocked by something. Taken aback is usually used to describe a person's reaction to something unexpected or startling. In summary, the term 'BE taken aback' means to BE surprised or shocked by something.