All 5 Uses of
recoil
in
Unbroken, by Hillenbrand
- A gust of fetid odor rose from the body, and all three men recoiled.†
p. 143.5recoiled = moved back suddenly
- Louie recoiled, pulling his legs toward his body.†
p. 155.4
- Louie was recoiling when he saw an oar swing past, sending the animal backward into the ocean.†
p. 161.1 *
- As he recoiled, the Quack saw him, pounded over, and punched him a dozen times.†
p. 224.2recoiled = moved back suddenly
- She recoiled, gasping, crying out.†
p. 367.2
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