Both Uses of
recoil
in
Macbeth
- A good and virtuous nature may recoil
In an imperial charge.†p. 141.2 *recoil = to move backward suddenly
- Who, then, shall blame
His pestered senses to recoil and start,
When all that is within him does condemn
Itself for being there?†p. 167.8
Definition:
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