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recoil - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'recoil' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Recoil [ n.]
- A starting or falling back; a rebound; a shrinking; as, the recoil of nature, or of the blood.
- The state or condition of having recoiled.
- Specifically, the reaction or rebounding of a firearm when discharged.
2 . Recoil [ v. i.]
- To start, roll, bound, spring, or fall back; to take a reverse motion; to be driven or forced backward; to return.
- To draw back, as from anything repugnant, distressing, alarming, or the like; to shrink.
- To turn or go back; to withdraw one's self; to retire.
3 . Recoil [ v. t.]
- To draw or go back.

Meaning of 'recoil' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . recoil [ v]
Meaning (1):
- draw back, as with fear or pain
Example in sentence:
  • she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf
Meaning (2):
- spring back, as from a forceful thrust
Example in sentence:
  • The gun kicked back into my shoulder
Meaning (3):
- come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect
Example in sentence:
  • the political movie backlashed on the Democrats;
  • Your comments may backfire and cause you a lot of trouble
Meaning (4):
- spring back; spring away from an impact
Example in sentence:
  • The rubber ball bounced;
  • These particles do not resile but they unite after they collide

Nearby Words:

recadency recalcitrant recalcitrate recalcitration recall recallable recallment recant recantation recanted

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