recoils

Jerks away instinctively

Recoils is the verb recoil inflected for third-person singular or made into a noun plural.

To recoil is to spring back suddenly—a gun recoils when fired, a person recoils from something frightening or disgusting: She recoiled at the sight of the dead animal.

The noun recoil is this backward movement, especially the kick of a firearm: The shotgun's recoil bruised his shoulder.

physical

flinch

Involuntary retreat from threat

jerkAbrupt pulling motion
shrinkDecrease in size
winceReflexive recoil from distress

start · jump · pull back · draw back · cringe · shudder · lurch · spasm · twitch · retreat

emotional

disgust

Intense physical aversion

revulsionIntense physical disgust
horrorExtreme fear or disgust
repulsionDisgust or pushing-away force

aversion · loathing · distaste · abhorrence · dread · shock · dismay · shrink · flinch · reject

firearm

kickback

Illegal payment for services

gunProjectile-launching weapon
rifleLong-barreled shoulder weapon
shotgunLong gun firing shot

pistol · muzzle · discharge · shooter · shoulder · grip · stock · buffer · firing · blast

mechanical

spring

Recoiling metal spiral

tensionStretched or strained state
bounceSpring back after impact
elasticityTendency to resume original form

snap · compression · release · mechanism · coil · energy · force · momentum · oscillation · vibration

recoils

flinch

disgust

kickback

spring

recoils

Opposites

Phrases

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