(click/touch triangles for details)
Definition
to move backward suddenly — especially:- the backward jerk of a gun or cannon when it is fired
- when a person draws back from someone or something, as with fear, disgust, or pain
- a low-recoil rifle
recoil = backward jerk
- Most Americans recoil at the thought of government using torture.
- The knife, driven by the recoil of the spring tree, had not wholly failed.Richard Connell -- The Most Dangerous Game
- Estragon recoils in horror.Samuel Beckett -- Waiting for Godot
- "Gotcha," he said, and his hand recoiled like he'd fired.David Almond -- Skellig
- "You jest," he exclaimed, recoiling a few paces.Edgar Allan Poe -- The Cask of Amontillado
- The blood of his body recoiled before it.Jack London -- To Build a Fire
- ...the lion turned toward him, but Thalia stepped into its path, holding up Aegis, and the lion recoiled.Rick Riordan -- The Titan's Curse
- "A little revolver like this doesn't have much recoil," he said, "but it takes some getting used to."Carl Deuker -- Gym Candy
- I nearly recoiled into my protective shell as the woman frantically ran toward me in thick, funny-looking wooden shoes.Dave Pelzer -- The Lost Boy
- I squeeze the trigger, hard, and this time I'm ready for the recoil.Veronica Roth -- Divergent
- ...stirring up the scent of pine, and even then I knew I would recoil all my life from the smell of it.Sue Monk Kidd -- The Secret Life of Bees
- "You wash me," she said. She stepped into the water and turned her back to Eddie. Then she pulled the embroidered baro over her head.
He recoiled. Her skin was horribly burned.Mitch Albom -- The Five People You Meet in Heaven - He recoiled.Alex Flinn -- Beastly
- At the sight of the young woman, the Savage started, recoiled, turned pale.Aldous Huxley -- Brave New World
- The big recruit goes down to his knees, ramming the recoil pad of his rifle against his shoulder, but he isn't hit, either.Rick Yancey -- The Infinite Sea
- I looked into her brown eyes and I recoiled.Susanna Kaysen -- Girl Interrupted
- The dog, coming suddenly upon him face to face among the rough tussocks, recoiled a moment, startled and confused.Richard Adams -- Watership Down
- Beth didn't hesitate, slapping him across the face with her free hand, and he recoiled.Nicholas Sparks -- The Lucky One
- [Recoiling in indignant astonishment.Oscar Wilde -- The Importance of Being Earnest
recoil = backward jerk
recoils = moves backward suddenly
recoiled = moved back suddenly
recoiling = moving backward suddenly
recoiled = suddenly moved backward (away from it)
recoiled = moved back suddenly
recoil = backward jerk (when fired)
recoiled = moved back suddenly
recoil = to move backward suddenly
recoil = pull back suddenly
recoiled = suddenly pulled back
recoiled = moved back suddenly