The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Recoil \Re*coil"\ (r[-e]*koil"), v. t.
   To draw or go back. [Obs.] --Spenser.
   [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Recoil \Re*coil"\, n.
   1. A starting or falling back; a rebound; a shrinking; as,
      the recoil of nature, or of the blood.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. The state or condition of having recoiled.
      [1913 Webster]

            The recoil from formalism is skepticism. --F. W.
                                                  Robertson.
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   3. Specifically, the reaction or rebounding of a firearm when
      discharged.
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   Recoil dynamometer (Gunnery), an instrument for measuring
      the force of the recoil of a firearm.

   Recoil escapement. See the Note under Escapement.
      [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Recoil \Re*coil"\ (r[-e]*koil"), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Recoiled
   (r[-e]*koild"); p. pr. & vb. n. Recoiling.] [OE. recoilen,
   F. reculer, fr. L. pref. re- re- + culus the fundament. The
   English word was perhaps influenced in form by accoil.]
   [1913 Webster]
   1. To start, roll, bound, spring, or fall back; to take a
      reverse motion; to be driven or forced backward; to
      return.
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            Evil on itself shall back recoil.     --Milton.
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            The solemnity of her demeanor made it impossible . .
            . that we should recoil into our ordinary spirits.
                                                  --De Quincey.
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   2. To draw back, as from anything repugnant, distressing,
      alarming, or the like; to shrink. --Shak.
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   3. To turn or go back; to withdraw one's self; to retire.
      [Obs.] "To your bowers recoil." --Spenser.
      [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

recoil
    n 1: the backward jerk of a gun when it is fired [syn: recoil,
         kick]
    2: a movement back from an impact [syn: recoil,
       repercussion, rebound, backlash]
    v 1: draw back, as with fear or pain; "she flinched when they
         showed the slaughtering of the calf" [syn: flinch,
         squinch, funk, cringe, shrink, wince, recoil,
         quail]
    2: come back to the originator of an action with an undesired
       effect; "Your comments may backfire and cause you a lot of
       trouble" [syn: backfire, backlash, recoil]
    3: spring back; spring away from an impact; "The rubber ball
       bounced"; "These particles do not resile but they unite after
       they collide" [syn: bounce, resile, take a hop,
       spring, bound, rebound, recoil, reverberate,
       ricochet]
    4: spring back, as from a forceful thrust; "The gun kicked back
       into my shoulder" [syn: kick back, recoil, kick]