recoil

Meaning

Noun

1. A starting or falling back; a rebound; a shrinking.
2. The state or condition of having recoiled.
3. The energy transmitted back to the shooter from a firearm which has fired. Recoil is a function of the weight of the weapon, the weight of the projectile, and the speed at which it leaves the muzzle.
4. An escapement in which, after each beat, the scape-wheel recoils slightly.

Verb

1. To pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment.
2. To retreat before an opponent.
3. Of a firearm: to quickly push back when fired.
4. (obsolete) To retire, withdraw.

Synonyms

rebound

flinch

wince

kick

shrink

bounce

cringe

shrink back

ricochet

backlash

bound

retreat

quail

spring

reverberate

backfire

cower

repercussion

resile

recede

shudder

reaction

squinch

kick back

start back

pull back

start

startle

step back

blench

spring back

funk

recession

recoiling

regress

take a hop

retrogress

balk

rewind

⏪

setback

falter

withdraw

back kick

backswing

flinch from

go backward

lose ground

move backward

shy away

throw back

jump back

jump aside

recuile

fear

😨

be horrible

be dreadful

draw back interior

shy at

rear back

back-blow

recedence

impact of recoil

return shock

stop

🛑

respool

back up

be afraid

beat a retreat

be horrified

boggle

boomerang

🪃

boot

👢

change

deference

delay

demur

draw back

fall back

flinching

hesitate

hesitation

jerk

jib

jig

kickback

meander

prance

punt

push back

ramp

regression

resilience

resist

retrograde

revulsion

rollback

set back

shock

⚡

shrinking back

shrivel

shy

subsidence

taken aback

turn back

twine

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɹɪˈkɔɪl/

Etymology

From Old French reculer.