All 10 Uses of
recoil
in
Oliver Twist
- 'You don't mean to say that's the boy who had the fever, I hope?' said Mr. Grimwig, recoiling a little more.†
Chpt 14 *
- 'What for?' asked Oliver, recoiling.†
Chpt 20
- 'Hah!' cried the man, fixing his eyes on Oliver, and suddenly recoiling.†
Chpt 33
- 'Twelve miles down the river, and cut to pieces besides,' replied Bumble, recoiling at the thought.†
Chpt 38
- 'Yes,' said Rose, recoiling a few steps, as if to be nearer assistance in case she should require it.†
Chpt 40
- Disturbed by these different reflections; inclining now to one course and then to another, and again recoiling from all, as each successive consideration presented itself to her mind; Rose passed a sleepless and anxious night.†
Chpt 41
- Her fears for Sikes would have been more powerful inducements to recoil while there was yet time; but she had stipulated that her secret should be rigidly kept, she had dropped no clue which could lead to his discovery, she had refused, even for his sake, a refuge from all the guilt and wretchedness that encompasses her—and what more could she do!†
Chpt 44recoil = to move backward suddenly
- But perhaps she would recoil from a plot to take the life of Sikes, and that was one of the chief ends to be attained.†
Chpt 44
- 'Fagin,' cried the girl, recoiling.†
Chpt 46
- Now, he started up, every minute, and with gasping mouth and burning skin, hurried to and fro, in such a paroxysm of fear and wrath that even they—used to such sights—recoiled from him with horror.†
Chpt 52recoiled = moved back suddenly
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