Both Uses of
recoil
in
The Winter's Tale
- Looking on the lines Of my boy's face, methoughts I did recoil Twenty-three years; and saw myself unbreech'd, In my green velvet coat; my dagger muzzled, Lest it should bite its master, and so prove, As ornaments oft do, too dangerous.†
Scene 1.2 *recoil = to move backward suddenly
- no thought of him; The very thought of my revenges that way Recoil upon me: in himself too mighty, And in his parties, his alliance,—let him be, Until a time may serve: for present vengeance, Take it on her.†
Scene 2.3
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