backlash

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. A sudden or violent backward whipping motion.
2. n. An antagonistic reaction to a trend, development, or event: "As the backlash against divorce progressed, state legislatures . . . called for a rollback of no-fault divorce laws and even for premarital waiting periods” ( Walter Kirn).
3. n. A snarl formed in the part of a fishing line that is wound around the reel.
4. n. The play resulting from loose connections between gears or other mechanical elements.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. In mech., the jarring reaction of each of a pair of wheels upon the other, produced by irregularities of velocity when the load is not constant or the moving power is not uniform.
2. n. In coal-mining, the backward suction of the air-current after an explosion of fire-damp.

Wiktionary

1. n. A sudden backward motion.
2. n. A reaction, objection or outcry, especially of a violent or abrupt nature.
3. n. mechanics The distance through which one part of connected machinery, as a wheel, piston, or screw, can be moved without moving the connected parts, resulting from looseness in fitting or from wear.
4. n. The jarring or reflex motion caused in badly fitting machinery by irregularities in velocity or a reverse of motion.
5. v. : To cause or set off a backlash.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Mech.) The distance through which one part of connected machinery, as a wheel, piston, or screw, can be moved without moving the connected parts, resulting from looseness in fitting or from wear; also, the jarring or reflex motion caused in badly fitting machinery by irregularities in velocity or a reverse of motion.
2. n. A strong and sudden reverse movement in a moving part of a machine.
3. n. A strong popular reaction serving to counter the effect of an action; -- used especially of adverse reactions to social or political developments.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a movement back from an impact
2. v. come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect
3. n. an adverse reaction to some political or social occurrence