recoil — to move back suddenly in fear, horror, or disgust
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to move back suddenly in fear, horror, or disgust
Pronunciation (IPA): /rɪˈkɔɪl/
Example Sentences
- My grandmother recoiled when she saw my new purple hair color.
- The inexperienced hunter wasn't prepared for the rifle's strong recoil.
- He recoiled from the idea of eating durian fruit after smelling it.
recoil
VERB[/rɪˈkɔɪl/]
to move back suddenly in fear, horror, or disgust
The hunter's shoulder jerks back as the old rifle's recoil throws him off balance.
When the snake uncoils from the soil, I recoil!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin through 16th-century French, derived from the root meaning 'to draw back' or 'to spring back.' Originally described the physical action of retreating or bouncing backward, later expanding to denote the backward thrust of a firearm after discharge.
Breakdown
re- (back, again) + coil (from Latin colligere, to gather or wind together). The prefix re- combines with coil to express the notion of springing or drawing back.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My grandmother recoiled when she saw my new purple hair color.”
“The inexperienced hunter wasn't prepared for the rifle's strong recoil.”
“He recoiled from the idea of eating durian fruit after smelling it.”
“The politician recoiled from making any definitive statements about the controversial policy.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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