recoil

[ verb ri-koil; noun ree-koil, ri-koil ]

verb (used without object)

1. to draw back; start or shrink back, as in alarm, horror, or disgust.

   Synonyms: falter, flinch, quail, withdraw

2. to spring or fly back, as in consequence of force of impact or the force of the discharge, as a firearm.

   Synonyms: rebound

3. to spring or come back; react (usually followed by on or upon ):

   Plots frequently recoil upon the plotters.

4. Physics. (of an atom, a nucleus, or a particle) to undergo a change in momentum as a result either of a collision with an atom, a nucleus, or a particle or of the emission of a particle.

noun

1. an act of recoiling.
2. the distance through which a weapon moves backward after discharging.

recoil

verb

1. to jerk back, as from an impact or violent thrust
2. often foll by from to draw back in fear, horror, or disgust

   to recoil from the sight of blood

3. foll byon or upon to go wrong, esp so as to hurt the perpetrator
4. (of a nucleus, atom, molecule, or elementary particle) to change momentum as a result of the emission of a photon or particle

noun

1. 1. the backward movement of a gun when fired
   2. the distance moved
2. the motion acquired by a particle as a result of its emission of a photon or other particle
3. the act of recoiling

Derived Forms

• reˈcoiler, noun

Other Words From

• re·coiling·ly adverb
• non·recoil noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of recoil¹

1175–1225; Middle English recoilen, reculen (v.) < Old French reculer, equivalent to re- re- + -culer, verbal derivative of cul rump, buttocks; culet

Word History and Origins

Origin of recoil¹

C13: from Old French reculer , from re- + cul rump, from Latin cūlus

Synonym Study

See wince ¹.

Example Sentences

Blanks — which contain gunpowder but not a real bullet — are sometimes used to more effectively mirror the effects of shooting a firearm, such as recoil.

From Washington Post

Instead, he developed a new concept based on the energy recoil of tendons and ligaments.

From Outside Online

When looking for signs of electrons recoiling as other particles slammed into them, the team observed extra recoils of electrons at low energies, well beyond the number predicted by standard physics.

From Science News

In their new analysis, the physicists examined electronic recoils in the first year’s worth of XENON1T data.

From Quanta Magazine

They used to treat these “electronic recoils” as background noise, and indeed many of these events are caused by mundane sources such as radioactive lead and krypton isotopes.

From Quanta Magazine

Your foulness no longer surprises you, but you have realized its power when you encounter clean soldiers and you both recoil.

From The Daily Beast

“Technically, all guns have recoil,” Steve told me via email.

From The Daily Beast

I noticed when watching Biathlon that the guns seem to have no recoil when fired.

From The Daily Beast

Erupting into spontaneous song and having strangers fully embrace it rather than recoil?

From The Daily Beast

These women do not like being beaten, and I literally recoil whenever I hear others blame them for staying.

From The Daily Beast

Danton began to recoil from the gulf opening before him, and wished to return to alliance with the Girondists.

From Project Gutenberg

A slight tremor passed over the whiteness of her face; he took it for the vibration of some spiritual recoil.

From Project Gutenberg

May this blood recoil upon those who are really guilty of those crimes.

From Project Gutenberg

When the enemy approached, one or two volleys caused his column to recoil in confusion.

From Project Gutenberg

The recoil staggered him, but he recovered himself without going over, and instantly roared out a horse-laugh.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• backfire
• balk
• blanch
• blink
• cringe
• demur
• flinch
• hesitate
• reel
• shudder
• tremble
• turn away
• waver
• wince