Recoil
/rɪˈkɔɪl/noun
To spring or draw back from a force, impact, or emotion.
Did you know?The word comes from a French verb meaning “to withdraw,” and its modern meaning was shaped by the violent snap of guns pushing backward after firing.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
colligere
“to gather together”
Old French
Old French
cueillir
“to gather, collect”
Old French
Old French
recuillir
“to gather back, withdraw”
Middle English
English
recoilen
“to draw back, retreat”
Modern English
English
recoil
“to spring back, especially from sudden force”