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Recoil   /rikˈɔɪl/   Listen
noun
Recoil  n.  
1.
A starting or falling back; a rebound; a shrinking; as, the recoil of nature, or of the blood.
2.
The state or condition of having recoiled. "The recoil from formalism is skepticism."
3.
Specifically, the reaction or rebounding of a firearm when discharged.
Recoil dynamometer (Gunnery), an instrument for measuring the force of the recoil of a firearm.
Recoil escapement. See the Note under Escapement.


verb
Recoil  v. t.  To draw or go back. (Obs.)


Recoil  v. i.  (past & past part. recoiled; pres. part. recoiling)  
1.
To start, roll, bound, spring, or fall back; to take a reverse motion; to be driven or forced backward; to return. "Evil on itself shall back recoil." "The solemnity of her demeanor made it impossible... that we should recoil into our ordinary spirits."
2.
To draw back, as from anything repugnant, distressing, alarming, or the like; to shrink.
3.
To turn or go back; to withdraw one's self; to retire. (Obs.) "To your bowers recoil."





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Recoil" Quotes from Famous Books



... injurious to the independence and integrity of the State to which it is applied, because a territory so occupied can scarcely be left by the occupying force in the same state in which it was when the occupation took place. But, moreover, such a practice may recoil upon those who adopt it, and, in the ever-varying course of events, it may be most inconveniently applied to those who, having set the example, had flattered themselves it never could be applied ...
— Selected Speeches on British Foreign Policy 1738-1914 • Edgar Jones
... character, or meanly truckled to him, or pampered his master passion for the advancement of his own purposes. He had, therefore, no self-disrespect to avenge; no long-tightened springs to release with a quick recoil. He worked early and late to unravel whatever was complicated or difficult in the records of the transactions of the House; was always in attendance to explain whatever required explanation; sat in his old room sometimes very late at night, studying ...
— Dombey and Son • Charles Dickens
... to M'Adam, who still lay gasping on the ground. The shock of the fall and recoil of the weapon had knocked the breath out of the little man's body; beyond that ...
— Bob, Son of Battle • Alfred Ollivant
... profanities in conversation, even from your lips. All my regard and affection for you, as Mrs. Thorpe's father, shall not prevent me from solemnly recording my abhorrence of such awful infidelity as I believe to be involved in the words you have just spoken! My religious convictions recoil—" ...
— Hide and Seek • Wilkie Collins
... evident that they had never before seen any of the white race—from whose complexion, indeed, they appeared to recoil. They believed the Jane to be a living creature, and seemed to be afraid of hurting it with the points of their spears, carefully turning them up. Our crew were much amused with the conduct of Too-wit in one instance. The cook was splitting ...
— The Works of Edgar Allan Poe - Volume 3 (of 5) of the Raven Edition • Edgar Allan Poe


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