resile

Resile is a verb in English meaning to spring back, rebound, or recover after being deformed or affected by a force or shock. In a broader sense, it can also mean to recover from a setback or to retreat from a previously held stance. The form is relatively rare in contemporary usage and is more commonly encountered in historical, literary, or specialist contexts (such as materials science or law) than in everyday speech.

Etymology: The word’s precise origin is uncertain, but etymological references commonly connect resile to Latin resiliō “to leap back” and to Old French resiller, though exact lineage is not definitive.

Usage notes: In physics or materials science, resile describes the ability of a material to return to its original shape after deformation, sometimes used interchangeably with elasticity in certain contexts. In discourse, to resile from a position means to withdraw or retreat from a previously stated stance, often implying a response to persuasive arguments or pressure.

Examples: The steel bar resiled after impact. The committee resiled from its earlier recommendation following new evidence. The fabric’s resile property helps it return to shape after stretching.

Synonyms include rebound, recoil, recover, spring back; related terms include resilience and elastic rebound.