From Middle English bounsen, bunsen (“to beat, thump”), cognate with Scots bunce, bonce (“to bounce”). Of uncertain origin. Perhaps imitative, related to bump, or related to Middle English bonchen (“to pound, beat”) and Dutch bonken (“to bump”).
Compare Saterland Frisian bumzje (“to pound, bang, bounce”), West Frisian bûnzje (“to throb, bounce, pulsate”), Dutch bonzen (“to thump, knock, throb, bounce”), German Low German bunsen, bumsen (“to beat, bounce”), German bumsen (“to thud, bang, pound”).
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A change of direction of motion after hitting the ground or an obstacle.
Krohn-Dehli took advantage of a lucky bounce of the ball after a battling run on the left flank by Simon Poulsen, dummied two defenders and shot low through goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg's legs after 24 minutes. 2012 June 9, Owen Phillips, “Euro 2012: Netherlands 0-1 Denmark”, in BBC Sport:
(countable, uncountable) A movement up and then down (or vice versa), once or repeatedly.
(Internet, countable, uncountable) An email that returns to the sender because of a delivery failure.
(countable, qualifier:quantum mechanics, uncountable) A hypothetical event where a collapsing system, such as a universe in the Big Bounce theory, reaches a point of extreme density and then rebounds back into an expanding phase, essentially reversing the contraction due to quantum mechanical effects.
(countable, slang, uncountable) The sack, dismissal.
Someone more clever than I said, "It's not the bounce that counts, it's the bounce back. " 2007, Annabelle Gurwitch, Fired!: Tales of the Canned, Canceled, Downsized, and Dismissed, page 243:
Or how about, "Turn in your rubber/A pound or an ounce/It will all help our soldiers/Give Hitler the bounce." 1942 June 16, “A Mouse in the House”, in Fibber McGee and Molly, spoken by Molly McGee:
I was no longer with the Oakhaven Hospital when I decided to come out here to the island; they'd fired me when they traced a long-distance call I'd made to San Francisco, under the director's name, to a man the papers had said got pinched out there, under suspicion of having lifted a poke with 10 grand in it—but later released—a man named Andy Glover. I thought sure he was a certain lug who'd been in stir with me, and thought to make a touch—however, skip it!—the point is that it was the wrong Andy Glover!—the call got traced to the phone in the hospital urinal room—and I got the bounce. 2018, Harry Stephen Keeler, The Portrait of Jirjohn Cobb, page 241:
Customers said I was a hoot; management gave me the bounce. 2014, Lisa See, China Dolls:
(archaic, countable, uncountable) A bang, boom.
I don't value her resentment the bounce of a cracker. 1773, Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer:
(archaic, countable, uncountable) A drink based on brandy, cherry bounce.
A prologue of cherry bounce,—brandy,—preceded the entertainment, which was enlivened by hob-nobs and joyous toasts. 1870 May, “Irish Life”, in The Saint Pauls Magazine, volume VI, London: Strahan & Co., publishers, 56, Ludgate Hill, →OCLC, page 203:
He had one hand on the bounce bottle—and he'd never let go of that since he got back to the table—but he had a handkerchief in the other and was swabbing his deadlights with it. 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VI, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
(archaic, countable, uncountable) A heavy, sudden, and often noisy, blow or thump.
The bounce burst ope the door. 1685, John Dryden, The Despairing Lover:
(archaic, countable, uncountable) Bluster; brag; untruthful boasting; audacious exaggeration; an impudent lie; a bouncer.
And, in fact, the whole story is a bounce of his own. For, in a most abusive letter which he wrote “to a learned person,” (meaning Wallis the mathematician,) he gives quite another account of the matter 1827, Thomas De Quincey, On Murder Considered as one of the Fine Arts:
(countable, uncountable) Scyliorhinus canicula, a European dogfish.
(uncountable) A genre of hip-hop music of New Orleans, characterized by often lewd call-and-response chants.
(qualifier:African-American Vernacular, slang, uncountable) A good beat in music.
(qualifier:African-American Vernacular, slang, uncountable) A talent for leaping.
Them pro-ballers got bounce!
(countable, informal, uncountable) An increase in popularity.
(countable, uncountable) An obstacle for a horse to jump over, consisting of two fences close together so that the horse cannot take a full stride between them, nor jump both at once.
(countable, slang, uncountable) The situation where a horse races poorly after a successful race.
bg подскачане (movement up and down) · es resurtida (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fi ponnahdus (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · nl bons (sack, dismissal) · fi pomppiminen (movement up and down) · es repercusión (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · es rebote (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · es bote (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fi pomppu (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · es recudimiento (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fi hyppely (movement up and down) · nl afketsen (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · pt quique (movement up and down) · bg отскачане (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · es rebote (movement up and down) · de Bounce (email) · it rimbalzo (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fi kimpoaminen (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · pt rebatida (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · nl bons (movement up and down) · sv studs (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · nl terugsprong (movement up and down) · nl stuiteren (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · nl stuit (movement up and down) · fr rebond (movement up and down) · fi pompinta (movement up and down) · fr rebond (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · es rebotación (disused) (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · de hüpfen (movement up and down) · it rimbalzo (movement up and down) · es rebotadura (change of direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · bg уволнение (sack, dismissal)
From Middle English bounsen, bunsen (“to beat, thump”), cognate with Scots bunce, bonce (“to bounce”). Of uncertain origin. Perhaps imitative, related to bump, or related to Middle English bonchen (“to pound, beat”) and Dutch bonken (“to bump”).
Compare Saterland Frisian bumzje (“to pound, bang, bounce”), West Frisian bûnzje (“to throb, bounce, pulsate”), Dutch bonzen (“to thump, knock, throb, bounce”), German Low German bunsen, bumsen (“to beat, bounce”), German bumsen (“to thud, bang, pound”).
Meanings
(intransitive) To change the direction of motion after hitting an obstacle.
The tennis ball bounced off the wall before coming to rest in the ditch.
(intransitive) To move quickly up and then down (or vice versa), once or repeatedly.
He bounces nervously on his chair.
The Black Cats contributed to their own downfall for the only goal when Titus Bramble, making his first appearance since Boxing Day, and Michael Turner, let Phil Jones' cross bounce across the six-yard box as Rooney tucked in at the back post. 2012 May 13, Alistair Magowan, “Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd”, in BBC Sport:
(transitive) To cause to move quickly up and down, or back and forth, once or repeatedly.
The children were bouncing a ball against a wall.
He bounced the child on his knee.
(colloquial, transitive) To suggest or introduce (an idea, etc.) to (off or by) someone, in order to gain feedback.
I'm meeting Bob later to bounce some ideas off him about the new product range.
(intransitive) To leap or spring suddenly or unceremoniously; to bound.
She bounced happily into the room.
Out bounced the mastiff. 1731, On Mr. Pulteney's Being Put Out of the Council, Jonathan Swift:
To move rapidly (between).
“The Queen’s Justice” had some fantastic moments of wit and heart but the structure and pacing didn’t do it any favors. The first section of the episode mostly bounced between Jon Snow’s arrival at Dragonstone and Cersei Lannister burning through her enemies and giving nary a fuck. 2017 July 30, Ali Barthwell, “Ice and fire finally meet in a front-loaded episode of Game Of Thrones (newbies)”, in The Onion AV Club:
(informal, intransitive, of a cheque/check) To be refused by a bank because it is drawn on insufficient funds.
We can’t accept further checks from you, as your last one bounced.
(informal, transitive) To fail to cover (have sufficient funds for) (a cheque/check drawn on one's account).
He tends to bounce a check or two toward the end of each month, before his payday.
(intransitive, slang) To leave.
Let’s wrap this up, I gotta bounce.
I was definitely looking forward to getting me some more of Yasmere in the future, so I took a quick second to give her a last little bit of love before I bounced. 2006, Noire [pseudonym], Thug-A-Licious: An Urban Erotic Tale, New York, N.Y.: One World, Ballantine Books, →ISBN, page 64:
All right, look, don't prang out. They had this paint-party-brunch thing. But I only stayed for 45 minutes, painted a tiny bit of a door, ate half an almond croissant and bounced. 2023, Nathan Bryon, Tom Melia, directed by Raine Allen-Miller, Rye Lane, spoken by Nathan (Simon Manyonda):
(US, dated, slang, transitive) To eject violently, as from a room; to discharge unceremoniously, as from employment.
Anyone who gets bounced out of [this bar] is not just pushed onto the street — he is walked home, or put in a cab. 1977 December 17, Tom Hurley, “The Evolution of Sporters”, in Gay Community News, volume 5, number 24, page 12:
Nobody took umbrage and bounced me out of the Union for being a pro. 1946, Yachting, volume 80, page 46:
(US, dated, intransitive, slang, transitive) To eject violently, as from a room; to discharge unceremoniously, as from employment. ▸ To work as a bouncer.
I met him back when he bounced at the bar where I worked.
(followed by with, intransitive, qualifier:African-American Vernacular, slang, sometimes) To have sexual intercourse.
(qualifier:air combat, transitive) To attack unexpectedly.
The squadron was bounced north of the town.
(transitive) To turn power to (a device) off and back on; to reset; to reboot.
See if it helps to bounce the router.
(Internet, ergative, of an e-mail message) To return undelivered.
The girl in the bar told me her address was thirsty@example.com, but my mail to that address was bounced back by the server.
What’s your new email address? The old one bounces.
(intransitive) To land hard and lift off again due to excess momentum.
The student pilot bounced several times during his landing.
(intransitive) To land hard at unsurvivable velocity with fatal results.
After the mid-air collision, his rig failed and he bounced.
(qualifier:sound recording, transitive) To mix (two or more tracks of a multi-track audio recording) and record the result onto a single track, in order to free up tracks for further material to be added.
Bounce tracks two and three to track four, then record the cowbell on track two.
To render two or more tracks to computer storage so that they can be played back and re-recorded with further material added.
bouncing stems
(archaic, slang) To bully; to scold.
Would I had him here again, I would so bounce him, I would so thank his lordship for his lewd plot. 1621 (first performance), John Fletcher, “The Wild-Goose Chase; a Comedy”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1679, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
(archaic, slang) To boast; to bluster.
(archaic) To strike or thump, so as to make a sudden noise upon rebound; to knock loudly.
Another bounces as hard as he can knock. 1708, Squire Bickerstaff Detected, John Partridge:
(slang) To race poorly after a successful race.
(of a railway passenger, slang) To travel to a less busy section of a railway line, against one's intended direction of travel, usually for the purpose of obtaining a seat.
fi ponnahtaa (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · es baunsear (of a cheque/check: to be refused) · es irse (slang: to leave) · es pirarse (slang: to leave) · uk підстри́бувати (to move quickly up and down) · fi pompata (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · uk підстрибну́ти (to move quickly up and down) · hu pattog (to move quickly up and down) · fi hyppiä (to move quickly up and down) · bcl untol (to move quickly up and down) · fi ei kelvata (of a cheque/check: to be refused) · es rebotarle [ideas] a (to suggest or introduce in order to gain feedback) · es botar (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · ru отска́кивать (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · sh zapáliti /запа́лити (slang: to leave) · ru подпры́гивать (to move quickly up and down) · ru отскочи́ть (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fi pompottaa (to cause to move quickly up and down) · ca botre (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · nl stuiteren (to cause to move quickly up and down) · th เด้ง (to move quickly up and down) · vo dejokön (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · es rebotar (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · hu ugrál (to move quickly up and down) · sh páliti /па́лити (slang: to leave) · bcl untol (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · pl wybywać (slang: to leave) · es rebotar (of a cheque/check: to be refused) · mi turapa (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · de titschen (to move quickly up and down) · pt quicar (to cause to move quickly up and down) · es repercutir (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · lo ກະໂດດ (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · uk відска́кувати (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · tl talbog (of a cheque/check: to be refused) · it rimbalzare (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · ru подпры́гнуть (to move quickly up and down) · ang hoppian (to move quickly up and down) · es bounsear (of a cheque/check: to be refused) · ota سكمك (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · nl stuiteren (to move quickly up and down) · sh palìndžati /палѝнџати (slang: to leave) · vi nảy (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fi kirjoittaa katteeton shekki (to fail to cover (a draft)) · es recudir (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fi hyppäyttää (to cause to move quickly up and down) · sv studsa (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · de hüpfen (to move quickly up and down) · bg отскачам (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fi kimmota (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · th เด้ง (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fi bounssata (slang: to leave) · crh sekirmek (to move quickly up and down) · fa بالا و پایین انداختن (to move quickly up and down) · pt quicar (to move quickly up and down) · gl rebotar (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · chr ᎠᏓᏗᏅᏗᎭ (to cause to move quickly up and down) · fi tulla hylätyksi (of a cheque/check: to be refused) · fi pomppia (to move quickly up and down) · pt pular (to move quickly up and down) · scn riggummari (to move quickly up and down) · tr sekmek (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fr rebondir (to move quickly up and down) · pl wybyć (slang: to leave) · th เด้ง (of a cheque/check: to be refused) · de platzen (of a cheque/check: to be refused) · es tirarle [ideas] a (to suggest or introduce in order to gain feedback) · es devolver (of a cheque/check: to be refused) · de abprallen (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · bcl untol (to cause to move quickly up and down) · uk відско́чити (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · es deslizarle [ideas] a (to suggest or introduce in order to gain feedback) · vi nảy (to move quickly up and down) · pt rebater (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · nl stuiteren (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · eo resalti (to move quickly up and down) · fi hyppyyttää (to cause to move quickly up and down) · es resurtir (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fi pomputtaa (to cause to move quickly up and down) · tl talbog (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · ang hoppian (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · lo ເຕັ້ນຂຶ້ນ (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · el αναπηδώ (to move quickly up and down) · scn riggummari (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle) · fi olla katteeton (to fail to cover (a draft)) · bg подскачам (to move quickly up and down) · es bouncear (of a cheque/check: to be refused) · de aufspringen (to move quickly up and down) · nl ketsen (to change direction of motion after hitting an obstacle)