bounce

Pronunciation: /baʊns/

Definition of bounce

1 [no object, usually with adverbial of direction] (with reference to an object, especially a ball) move quickly up, back, or away from a surface after hitting it:the ball bounced away and he chased it [with object]:he was bouncing the ball against the wall
(of light, sound, or an electronic signal) come into contact with an object or surface and be reflected back:short sound waves bounce off even small objects
(also bounce back) (of an email) be returned to its sender after failing to reach its destination:I tried to email him, but the message bounced
(bounce back) recover well after a setback or problem:the savings rate has already started to bounce back and is sure to rise further
[with object] West Indian come into sudden forceful contact with; collide with:people cross the road as slowly as possible, as if daring the cars to bounce them

2 [no object, usually with adverbial of direction] jump repeatedly up and down, typically on something springy:Emma was happily bouncing up and down on the mattress
move up and down repeatedly:the gangplank bounced under his confident step
[with object] cause (a child) to move lightly up and down on one’s knee as a game: I remember how you used to bounce me on your knee
[with adverbial of direction] (of a vehicle) move jerkily along a bumpy surface:the car bounced down the narrow track
[with adverbial of direction] move in a particular direction in an energetic, happy, or enthusiastic manner:Linda bounced in through the open front door

3 [no object] informal (of a cheque) be returned by a bank to the payee when there are not enough funds in the drawer’s account to meet it:a further two cheques of £160 also bounced
[with object] (of a bank) return a cheque to the payee when there are not enough funds in the drawer’s account to meet it: the bank bounced the cheque

4 [with object] informal eject (a troublemaker) forcibly from a nightclub or similar establishment.
chiefly North American dismiss (someone) from a job:those who put in a dismal performance will be bounced from the tour

5 [with object] British informal pressurize (someone) into doing something, typically by presenting them with a fait accompli:the government should beware being bounced into any ill-considered foreign gamble

1a rebound of a ball or other object:the wicket was causing the occasional erratic bounce
[mass noun] the ability of a surface to make a ball rebound in a specified way:a pitch of low bounce
West Indian a collision.

2an act of jumping or of moving up and down jerkily:every bounce of the truck brought them into fresh contact
a sudden rise in the level of something:economists agree that there could be a bounce in prices next year
[mass noun] exuberant self-confidence:the bounce was now back in Jenny’s step
[mass noun] health and body in a person’s hair:use conditioner to help hair regain its bounce

Phrases

be bouncing off the walls: North American informal be full of nervous excitement or agitation: the skiers were bouncing off the walls, they were so tired
bounce an idea off: informal share an idea with (someone) in order to refine it: he thrives on bouncing ideas off other people
on the bounce: as something rebounds:he caught the ball on the bounce; informal in quick succession:it’s nice to get four victories on the bounce

Middle English bunsen 'beat, thump', perhaps imitative, or from Low German bunsen 'beat', Dutch bons 'a thump'

Definition of bounce in the US English dictionary