recoil
verb
[ rɪˈkɔɪl ]
• suddenly spring or flinch back in fear, horror, or disgust.
• "he recoiled in horror"
Similar:
draw back,
jump back,
spring back,
jerk back,
pull back,
flinch,
shy away,
shrink (back),
blench,
start,
wince,
cower,
quail,
• rebound or spring back through force of impact or elasticity.
• "the muscle has the ability to recoil"
recoil
noun
• the action of recoiling.
• "his body jerked with the recoil of the rifle"
Origin:
Middle English (denoting the act of retreating): from Old French reculer ‘move back’, based on Latin culus ‘buttocks’.
