All 5 Uses of
recoil
in
Nicholas Nickleby
- 'Dear me, child!' exclaimed Madame Mantalini, recoiling in surprise.†
Chpt 17 *
- Mr Mantalini, who had doubtless well considered his part, no sooner heard these words pronounced in a tone of grief and severity, than he recoiled several paces, assumed an expression of consuming mental agony, rushed headlong from the room, and was, soon afterwards, heard to slam the door of an upstairs dressing-room with great violence.†
Chpt 21
- But now, he starts into full wakefulness, recoils a step or two, and gazes out before him with eager wildness in his eye.†
Chpt 37
- As he turned his face, Ralph recoiled a step or two, and making as though he were irresistibly impelled to express astonishment, but was determined not to do so, sat down with well-acted confusion.†
Chpt 38
- 'How!' exclaimed Mrs Crummles, with a tragic recoil.†
Chpt 48
Definition:
-
(recoil) to move backward suddenly (sometimes figuratively)especially:
- the backward jerk of a gun or cannon when it is fired
- when a person flinches (suddenly draws back) from someone or something, as with fear, disgust, or pain
- when a person is emotionally repulsed, as by disgust
- when something intended to go in one direction figuratively falls back in the opposite direction; for example, a story told to hurt someone that comes back to hurt the teller