reculer — meaning in English
French → English · translate English → French instead
English meaning
- back noun The rear surface of the human or animal body, from the shoulders to the hips.
- backpedal verb To pedal backwards on a bicycle.
- recede verb To move gradually back or away from a previous position.
- recoil verb To jerk or pull back suddenly, especially from fear, disgust, or shock.
- reverse adj Opposite in position, direction, or order.
Senses
reculer is used for these senses in English:
- back (nautical, of the wind) To change direction contrary to the normal pattern; that is, to shift anticlockwise in the northern hemisphere, or clockwise in the southern hemisphere.
- back away (intransitive) To move in a direction opposite to that which one is facing, keeping one's attention on the thing in front being avoided.
- back off (literally) To move backwards away from something.
- back up (idiomatic, intransitive) To move backwards, especially for a vehicle to do so.
- backpedal (intransitive) To step backwards.
- put back (transitive, idiomatic) To change the time in a time zone to an earlier time.
- recede To move back; to retreat; to withdraw.
- recoil To pull back, especially in disgust, horror or astonishment. [from 16th c.]
back — full definition
- noun The rear surface of the human or animal body, from the shoulders to the hips.
- noun The rear or reverse part of an object, as opposed to its front.
- adj Located at or toward the rear.
- adv Toward a previous place, time, or condition.
- verb To support someone or something, often financially.
backpedal — full definition
- verb To pedal backwards on a bicycle.
- verb To step backwards.
- verb To distance oneself from an earlier claim or statement; back off from an idea.