recoil-v; 2 Senses

Sense Number 1: An animate being draws back from something, as from fear or pain.

Examples:
She recoiled when they showed the video.
He recoils from her touch.
The cat recoiled from water.

Mappings:
VerbNet: flinch-40.5
FrameNet: NP
PropBank: recoil.01
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 1

Sense Number 2: Spring back or return to a point of origin.

Commentary:
NOTE: may be metaphorical.

Examples:
Your comments may recoil and return to you tenfold.
The rubber ball recoiled.
The gun recoiled hard into my shoulder.

Mappings:
VerbNet: NM
FrameNet: NP
PropBank: NM
WordNet 3.0 Sense Numbers: 2, 3, 4