bounce
to spring back from a surface in a lively manner: The ball bounced off the wall.
to strike the ground or other surface, and rebound: The ball bounced once before he caught it.
to move or walk in a lively, exuberant, or energetic manner: She bounced into the room.
to move along in a lively manner, repeatedly striking the surface below and rebounding: The box bounced down the stairs.
to move about or enter or leave noisily or angrily (followed by around, about, out, out of, into, etc.): He bounced out of the room in a huff.
(of a check or the like) to fail to be honored by the bank against which it was drawn, due to lack of sufficient funds.
to cause to bound and rebound: to bounce a ball; to bounce a child on one's knee; to bounce a signal off a satellite.
to refuse payment on (a check) because of insufficient funds: The bank bounced my rent check.
to give (a bad check) as payment: That's the first time anyone bounced a check on me.
Slang. to eject, expel, or dismiss summarily or forcibly.
a bound or rebound: to catch a ball on the first bounce.
a sudden spring or leap: In one bounce he was at the door.
ability to rebound; resilience: This tennis ball has no more bounce.
vitality; energy; liveliness: There is bounce in his step. This soda water has more bounce to it.
the fluctuation in magnitude of target echoes on a radarscope.
Slang. a dismissal, rejection, or expulsion: He's gotten the bounce from three different jobs.
with a bounce; suddenly.
bounce back, to recover quickly: After losing the first game of the double-header, the team bounced back to win the second.
Origin of bounce
1Other words for bounce
Other words from bounce
- bounce·a·ble, adjective
- bounce·a·bly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use bounce in a sentence
In 87 Bounces, a lone athlete shoots an airball that goes on a journey through some of the most memorable films in cinema history.
Basketball Bounces Through Classic Movies | Alex Chancey, The Daily Beast Video | October 15, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWhen Don bails the next day, and Amy awkwardly bounces, Megan is once again left all alone, and frustrated.
Mad Men’s ‘The Runaways’: Three-Way Sex and Self-Mutilation in the Craziest Episode Yet | Marlow Stern | May 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAll eyes watch as the yellow ball bounces off their co-captains bat and flies through the air.
50 Shades of Fall TV: New Girl, Scandal, and More Television Fan Fiction | Amy Zimmerman | October 16, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTWhat a week in politics: Obama bounces—and Clinton announces.
Obama, Clinton Scored Back to Back Home Runs With Their Speeches | Robert Shrum | September 8, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTThen you can catch it as it bounces off and throw it back at him.
Ramsey Milholland | Booth Tarkington
The stone rolled in cornery bounces, with a dull noise, and the rope slipped after it slowly.
Us and the Bottleman | Edith Ballinger PriceIf a return ball hits a player on the server's side and bounces into the opponents' court, it is considered no play.
Games and Play for School Morale | VariousAn animal that bounces about when his mouth is felt, or whilst waiting to be mounted, is anything but a treasure to possess.
Riding for Ladies | Mrs. Power O'DonoghueThe woman bounces up and down on her end of the pole until every bit of the juice is out.
Up the Mazaruni for Diamonds | William La Varre
British Dictionary definitions for bounce
/ (baʊns) /
(intr) (of an elastic object, such as a ball) to rebound from an impact
(tr) to cause (such an object) to hit a solid surface and spring back
to rebound or cause to rebound repeatedly
to move or cause to move suddenly, excitedly, or violently; spring: she bounced up from her chair
slang (of a bank) to send (a cheque) back or (of a cheque) to be sent back unredeemed because of lack of funds in the drawer's account
(of an internet service provider) to send (an email message) back or (of an email message) to be sent back to the sender, for example because the recipient's email account is full
(tr) slang to force (a person) to leave (a place or job); throw out; eject
(tr) British to hustle (a person) into believing or doing something
the action of rebounding from an impact
a leap; jump; bound
the quality of being able to rebound; springiness
informal vitality; vigour; resilience
British swagger or impudence
informal a temporary increase or rise
the bounce Australian rules football the start of play at the beginning of each quarter or after a goal
get the bounce or give the bounce US informal to dismiss or be dismissed from a job
on the bounce informal in succession; one after the other: they have lost nine games on the bounce
Origin of bounce
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with bounce
In addition to the idioms beginning with bounce
- bounce around
- bounce back
also see:
- get the ax (bounce)
- more bounce for the ounce
- that's how the ball bounces
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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