bounce
pronunciation
How to pronounce bounce in British English:
UK [baʊns]
How to pronounce bounce in American English:
US [baʊns]
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- Noun:
- the quality of a substance that is able to rebound
- a light springing movement upwards or forwards
- rebounding from an impact (or series of impacts)
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- Verb:
- spring back; spring away from an impact
- hit something so that it bounces
- move up and down repeatedly
- come back after being refused
- leap suddenly
- refuse to accept and send back
- eject from the premises
Word Origin
- bounce
- bounce: [13] Bounce is something of a mystery word. When it first appears in Middle English it means ‘hit’, and it does not acquire its modern sense ‘rebound’ until the late 16th century. There are similar words in other Germanic languages, such as Dutch bons ‘thump’, but there is no reason to suppose that any of them is actually the source of the English word. Many etymologists incline to the view that bounce is an independent onomatopoeic formation.
- bounce (v.)
- early 13c., bounsen "to thump, hit," perhaps from Dutch bonzen "to beat, thump," or Low German bunsen, or imitative; sense probably influenced by bound (v.). Sense of "to bounce like a ball" is from 1510s; the rubber check sense is from 1927. Related: Bounced; bouncing.
- bounce (n.)
- 1520s, "a heavy blow," also "a leap, a rebound" from bounce (v.). In reference to politicians and public opinion polls, by 1996, American English.
Example
- 1. Asia 's bounce has taken many forecasters by surprise .
- 2. These have long wavelengths and therefore bounce only off large things .
- 3. Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom .
- 4. Shouldn 't the revolver bounce off his chest too ?
- 5. I tried to bounce onto the bed but my rubbery skin had other plans for me .