recoil
English · Thesaurus
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
recoil
- /ˈɹiːkɔɪl/
- /ɹɪˈkɔɪl/
Rhymes with -ɔɪl
Where it comes from
From Old French reculer. Further from Latin re- + cūlus.
noun recoils
- A starting or falling back; a rebound; a shrinking. the recoil of nature, or of the blood
- The state or condition of having recoiled. The recoil from formalism is skepticism.
- 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.
- An escapement in which, after each beat, the scape-wheel recoils slightly.
Similar: kick
verb recoils · recoiling · recoiled · recoyle
- To pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment. He recoiled in disgust when he saw the mess.
- To recoil before an opponent. that rude rout […] forced them, how ever strong and stout / They were, as well approv'd in many a doubt, / Backe to recule […]
- Of a firearm: to quickly push back when fired.
- To retire, withdraw. Ye both forwearied be: therefore a whyle / Iread you rest, and to your bowres recoyle.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: backlash, rebound, shrink, kick back, bounce, repercussion, bound, quail, kick, cringe, flinch, wince, spring, ricochet, squinch, funk
noun
Similar: kick
Translations
Every language
noun pushback from a fired firearm
| Español | retroceso, culatazo, coz |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 反動 handō, 後座 kōza |
| 中文 | 後坐力 /后坐力 hòuzuòlì, 後坐 /后坐 hòuzuò, 後座力 /后座力 hòuzuòlì |
| Português | coice, recuo |
| Français | recul |
| Deutsch | Rückstoß, Rückschlag |
| Italiano | rinculo |
| Română | recul |
| Русский | отда́ча otdáča, отка́т otkát |
verb to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment
| Español | echarse atrás, recular, recejar |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 跳ね返る hanekaeru |
| 中文 | 後退 /后退 hòutuì, 畏縮 /畏缩 wèisuō |
| Português | recuo, coice (da arma), recuar |
| Français | reculer |
| Deutsch | zurückschrecken |
| Italiano | ritrarsi |
| Română | recula |
| Русский | отпря́дывать otprjádyvatʹ, отпря́нуть otprjánutʹ, отша́тываться otšátyvatʹsja, отшатну́ться otšatnútʹsja |
verb of a firearm, to push back
| Español | recular, dar culatazo, diñar coz, recejar |
|---|---|
| Deutsch | zurückschlagen, einen Rückstoß erzeugen |
| Italiano | rinculare |
| Română | recula |
Talk about this word "recoil." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/recoil. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. recoil. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/recoil "recoil." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/recoil.Cite this
@misc{recoil_2026,
title = {recoil},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/recoil},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
