From Old French reculer. Further from Latin re- + cūlus.
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A starting or falling back; a rebound; a shrinking.
the recoil of nature, or of the blood
(countable, uncountable) The state or condition of having recoiled.
The recoil from formalism is skepticism. 1850, Frederick William Robertson, second address delivered to the members of the Working Men's Institute, Brighton:
(countable, uncountable) 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.
(countable, uncountable) An escapement in which, after each beat, the scape-wheel recoils slightly.
sv rekyl (pushback from a fired firearm) · no rekyl (pushback from a fired firearm) · cs zpětný ráz (pushback from a fired firearm) · fi rekyyli (pushback from a fired firearm) · fr recul (pushback from a fired firearm) · pl odrzut (pushback from a fired firearm) · nl terugslag (pushback from a fired firearm) · no tilbakestøt (pushback from a fired firearm) · ja 反動 (pushback from a fired firearm) · es coz (pushback from a fired firearm) · fo baksláttur (pushback from a fired firearm) · de Rückschlag (pushback from a fired firearm) · pt coice (pushback from a fired firearm) · pt recuo (pushback from a fired firearm) · oc recul (pushback from a fired firearm) · ru отка́т (pushback from a fired firearm) · mi whana (pushback from a fired firearm) · it rinculo (pushback from a fired firearm) · bg откат (pushback from a fired firearm) · es retroceso (pushback from a fired firearm) · no tilbakevirkning (pushback from a fired firearm) · fi potkaisu (pushback from a fired firearm) · cmn 後坐力 /后坐力 (pushback from a fired firearm) · ro recul (pushback from a fired firearm) · cmn 後座力 /后座力 (pushback from a fired firearm) · cmn 後坐 /后坐 (pushback from a fired firearm) · tl balisikad (pushback from a fired firearm) · ru отда́ча (pushback from a fired firearm) · no tilbakeslag (pushback from a fired firearm) · es culatazo (pushback from a fired firearm) · ja 後座 (pushback from a fired firearm) · de Rückstoß (pushback from a fired firearm) · mk отскок (pushback from a fired firearm) · da rekyl (pushback from a fired firearm)
From Old French reculer. Further from Latin re- + cūlus.
Meanings
(intransitive) To pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment.
For decades, humankind steeled itself for the rise of thinking machines. As we marveled at their ability to beat chess champions and predict protein structures, we also recoiled from their inherent uncanniness, not to mention the threats to our sense of humanity. 2025 December 11, Charlie Campbell, Andrew R. Chow and Billy Perrigo, “The Architects of AI Are TIME’s 2025 Person of the Year”, in Time:
He recoiled in disgust when he saw the mess.
(archaic, intransitive) 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 […] 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book V, Canto XI”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
(intransitive) Of a firearm: to quickly push back when fired.
(intransitive, obsolete) To retire, withdraw.
The solemnity of her demeanor made it impossible […] that we should recoil into our ordinary spirits. 1838, Thomas De Quincey, The Household Wreck:
Ye both forwearied be: therefore a whyle / Iread you rest, and to your bowres recoyle. 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
Manners knovvs diſtance, and a man unrude / VVo'd ſoon recoile, and not intrude / His Stomach to a ſecond Meale. 1648, Robert Herrick, “A Panegerick to Sir Lewis Pemberton”, in Hesperides: Or, The Works both Humane & Divine […], London: […] John Williams, and Francis Eglesfield, and are to be sold by Tho[mas] Hunt, […], →OCLC, page 169:
Thus vvhen this Courtly Gentleman vvith toyle / Himſelfe hath vvearied, he doth recoyle / Vnto his reſt, and there vvith ſvveete delight / Of Muſicks skill reuiues his toyled ſpright, […] 1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “Prosopopoia. Or Mother Hubberds Tale.”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […], →OCLC, signature O2, verso:
Her will, recoiling to her better judgement c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:
Evil on itself shall back recoil. 1634 October 9 (first performance; Gregorian calendar), [John Milton], edited by H[enry] Lawes, A Maske Presented at Ludlow Castle, 1634: […] [Comus], London: […] [Augustine Matthews] for Hvmphrey Robinson, […], published 1637, →OCLC; reprinted as Comus: […] (Dodd, Mead & Company’s Facsimile Reprints of Rare Books; Literature Series; no. I), New York, N.Y.: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1903, →OCLC:
pt recuo (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · es recejar (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · mi komi (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · ru отшатну́ться (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · ota پوصمق (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · no rekylere (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · hu elborzad (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · ja 跳ね返る (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · sh устукнути (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · pt recuar (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · es recular (of a firearm, to push back) · hu elretten (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · hu visszahőköl (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · no trekke seg tilbake (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · hu visszarúg (of a firearm, to push back) · ro recula (of a firearm, to push back) · fi potkaista (of a firearm, to push back) · cs odtáhnout se (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · mi tupana (of a firearm, to push back) · da trække sig tilbage (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · bg отскачам (of a firearm, to push back) · ru отша́тываться (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · cs zhrozit se (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · de einen Rückstoß erzeugen (of a firearm, to push back) · de zurückschlagen (of a firearm, to push back) · es recejar (of a firearm, to push back) · oc recular (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · hu megrökönyödik (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · hu visszaretten (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · mi eti (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · ro recula (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · cmn 畏縮 /畏缩 (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · ca recular (of a firearm, to push back) · fr reculer (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · hu hátrahőköl (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · it ritrarsi (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · fi hätkähtää (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · cs kopnout (of a firearm, to push back) · es dar culatazo (of a firearm, to push back) · cy adlamu (of a firearm, to push back) · cs ucuknout (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · mk отскокнува (of a firearm, to push back) · nl terugdeinzen (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · no spenne tilbake (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · la recellō (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · hu hátrarúg (of a firearm, to push back) · pt coice (da arma) (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · no sprette tilbake (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · es diñar coz (of a firearm, to push back) · mi maopo (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · no springe tilbake (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · nl terugtrekken (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · de zurückschrecken (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · es recular (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · mi whana (of a firearm, to push back) · nl terugschrikken (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · ru отпря́дывать (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · cmn 後退 /后退 (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · bg отдръпвам се (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · ga frithbhuail (of a firearm, to push back) · it rinculare (of a firearm, to push back) · cs stáhnout se (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · es echarse atrás (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · no gyse tilbake (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · bg давам откат (of a firearm, to push back) · hu eliszonyodik (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · ru отпря́нуть (to pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment) · mi turapa (of a firearm, to push back)