recoil Hear it!

recoil Definition

re·coil (ri ko̵il′; also for n., esp. of weapons, rē′ko̵il′)

intransitive verb

    1. to draw back, fall back, or stagger back; retreat
    2. to start or shrink back, as in fear, surprise, or disgust
  2. to fly back when released, as a spring, or kick back when fired, as a gun
  3. to return to or as to the starting point or source; react (on or upon)

Etymology: ME recoilen < OFr reculer < re-, back + cul < L culus, the anus, buttocks: see culet

noun

  1. the act of recoiling
  2. the state of having recoiled; reaction
  3. the distance through which a gun, spring, etc. recoils

recoil Synonyms

recoil

v.

withdraw, turn away, shrink from, draw back, step back, pull back, start back, flinch, start, demur, blink, shirk, falter, dodge, swerve, wince, cringe, duck, quail; see also retreat 1.

recoil Usage Examples

Object

  • atom: Along its path, an individual projectile may create fast recoil atoms which in turn may initiate collision cascades of moving target atoms.
  • energy: The amount of light produced depends on the recoil energy.
  • effect: We continue to hold the notion that recoil effect on the shooter is about 85 percent mental.
  • force: The purpose of the muzzle break is to reduce recoil forces.
  • action: How come guns that fire energy bolts have a recoil action on them?
  • system: Its recoil control system must be one of the wonders of modern science.

Preposition: at

  • thought: I recoil at the thought of how misguided I then was.
  • prospect: But many recoil at the prospect that Plato is such a skeptic.

Modifying Another Word

  • no: The " no recoil " u see on the video is not a cheat.
  • then: WIEDER touches her, then recoils from the heat of her burned skin.
  • back: Time is expanded by a dramatic action which recoils back on itself eventually demonstrating the eternal repetition of certain moments.
  • n't: But all too often we do n't recoil from our sin and reject it immediately.
  • not: And we should not recoil from our national history - rather we should make it more central to our education.
  • now: I recoil now to think how " brave " I used to be.

Used with why or when

  • when: There's a dab of ET in the way his extra-terrestrials try fooling around with a bicycle and nervously recoil when it falls over.

Preposition: in

  • horror: Now, some of you may recoil in horror at this idea.
  • shock: The pit has been closed and the defeated community recoils in shock.
  • disgust: Many of my readers will have recoiled in disgust at that last paragraph as true as they find the final assertion.

Preposition: from

  • idea: But I recoiled from the idea of this bondage.

Preposition: with