recoil

[ri-koil, ree-koil, ri-koil]

verb (used without object)

1. to draw back; start or shrink back, as in alarm, horror, or disgust.

   Synonyms: falter, flinch, quail, withdraw

2. to spring or fly back, as in consequence of force of impact or the force of the discharge, as a firearm.

   Synonyms: rebound

3. to spring or come back; react (usually followed by on orupon ).

   Plots frequently recoil upon the plotters.

4. Physics.,  (of an atom, a nucleus, or a particle) to undergo a change in momentum as a result either of a collision with an atom, a nucleus, or a particle or of the emission of a particle.

noun

1. an act of recoiling.

2. the distance through which a weapon moves backward after discharging.

recoil

verb

1. to jerk back, as from an impact or violent thrust

2. (often foll by from) to draw back in fear, horror, or disgust

   to recoil from the sight of blood

3. to go wrong, esp so as to hurt the perpetrator

4. (of a nucleus, atom, molecule, or elementary particle) to change momentum as a result of the emission of a photon or particle

noun

1. 1. the backward movement of a gun when fired

   2. the distance moved

2. the motion acquired by a particle as a result of its emission of a photon or other particle

3. the act of recoiling

Other Word Forms

• recoilingly adverb
• nonrecoil noun
• recoiler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of recoil¹

1175–1225; Middle English recoilen, reculen (v.) < Old French reculer, equivalent to re- re- + -culer, verbal derivative of cul rump, buttocks; culet

Word History and Origins

Origin of recoil¹

C13: from Old French reculer , from _re- + cul rump, from Latin cūlus

Synonym Study

See wince ¹.

Example Sentences

The manager turned off the vacuum, recoiled hoses and exhaled with relief.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

I recoil and drop the crust, but Woo snags it out of the air before it can hit the ground.

Read more on Literature

Made of English oak, they were designed to be strong enough to withstand the weight and recoil of heavy guns and thousands of pounds of shells and explosives.

Read more on Literature

At one point, a rat-a-tat-tat could be heard on the microphone, and an announcer said, “Thuuunderrrr. The guns recoil. The earth shakes and 1-5-5 mm shell tears through the air. ... Steel rain inbound.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Our America recoils from people who push their religious beliefs on others, or who denigrate women and other citizens who happen to be unlike them.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• backfire 
• balk 
• blanch 
• blink 
• cringe 
• demur 
• flinch 
• hesitate 
• reel 
• shudder 
• tremble 
• turn away 
• waver 
• wince