Crossword Genius

Without notice, one keeps just some back (3,2,4)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

all at once

'without notice' is the definition.
(thesaurus)

I can't explain the rest of the clue.

(Other definitions for all at once that I've seen before include "in unison" , "Without warning" , "Simultaneously - immediately" , "How daffodils appeared to Wordsworth" , "Together" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.
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