recoil meaning and definition

RECOIL noun

Definition of recoil (noun)

1. the backward jerk of a gun when it is fired
   • synonyms: kick
2. a movement back from an impact
   • synonyms: backlash, rebound, repercussion

RECOIL verb

Definition of recoil (verb)

1. draw back, as with fear or pain
   • "she flinched when they showed the slaughtering of the calf"
   • synonyms: cringe, flinch, funk, quail, shrink, squinch, wince
2. come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect
   • "Your comments may backfire and cause you a lot of trouble"
   • synonyms: backfire, backlash
3. spring back; spring away from an impact
   • "The rubber ball bounced"; "These particles do not resile but they unite after they collide"
   • synonyms: bounce, bound, rebound, resile, reverberate, ricochet, spring, take a hop
4. spring back, as from a forceful thrust
   • "The gun kicked back into my shoulder"
   • synonyms: kick, kick back