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Book Glossary

recoil

Dictionary definition · recoil

noun

  1. the backward jerk of a gun when it is fired
  2. a movement back from an impact

verb

  1. draw back, as with fear or pain"she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf"
  2. come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect"Your comments may backfire and cause you a lot of trouble"
  3. spring back; spring away from an impact"The rubber ball bounced"
  4. spring back, as from a forceful thrust"The gun kicked back into my shoulder"

Similar words

kickcringeflinchfunkquailshrinksquinchwincebacklashrebound

Source: Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0).