recoil

verb

/rɪˈkɔɪl/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they recoil	/rɪˈkɔɪl/ /rɪˈkɔɪl/
he / she / it recoils	/rɪˈkɔɪlz/ /rɪˈkɔɪlz/
past simple recoiled	/rɪˈkɔɪld/ /rɪˈkɔɪld/
past participle recoiled	/rɪˈkɔɪld/ /rɪˈkɔɪld/
-ing form recoiling	/rɪˈkɔɪlɪŋ/ /rɪˈkɔɪlɪŋ/

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[intransitive] to move your body quickly away from somebody/something because you find them or it frightening or unpleasant synonym flinch
- recoil (from somebody/something) She recoiled from his touch.
- recoil at something He recoiled in horror at the sight of the corpse.
Extra Examples
- As he leaned towards her she instinctively recoiled.
- Carlos recoiled a little at the sharpness in my voice.
- He recoiled in apparent disgust.
- She felt him recoil from her, frightened.
Topics Feelingsc2
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- a bit
- a little
- slightly
- …
preposition
- at
- from
- in
- …
See full entry
[intransitive] to react to an idea or a situation with strong dislike or fear synonym shrink
- recoil from (doing) something She recoiled from the idea of betraying her own brother.
- recoil at something Tell him the truth? I recoiled at the thought.
[intransitive] (of a gun) to move suddenly backwards when it is fired

Word OriginMiddle English (denoting the act of retreating): from Old French reculer ‘move back’, based on Latin culus ‘buttocks’.

noun

/ˈriːkɔɪl/

[uncountable, singular]

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a sudden movement backwards, especially of a gun when it is fired
- The recoil was so violent it almost tore the weapon from his grasp.
Word OriginMiddle English (denoting the act of retreating): from Old French reculer ‘move back’, based on Latin culus ‘buttocks’.