verb
bounce
bowns
verb
1
To spring back after hitting a surface, or to move up and down repeatedly.
"The ball bounced off the wall and rolled under the sofa."
"The kids were bouncing on the trampoline for hours."
2
Of a cheque or payment: to be rejected by a bank because there isn't enough money in the account.
"His rent cheque bounced twice that year."
3
To try an idea out on someone to get their reaction.
"Let me bounce this idea off you before the meeting."
noun
1
A rebound, or the quality of springing back easily.
"The new mattress has a lot of bounce to it."
How to Use Bounce
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo spring back off a surface; also used for a cheque that fails to clear, or for testing an idea on someone.
Common mistake
In email, a "bounced" message is one that failed to deliver — this is a separate, common tech usage.
Common pairings
bounce off
bounce a cheque
bounce an idea off someone
Word Forms
bounced past tense, bounces plural, bounces singular
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The ball _____ off the wall and rolled under the sofa.
Etymology
From Middle English bounsen, "to beat or thump," likely imitative of the sound of something striking a surface.