- 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.
- 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.
- a dismissal, rejection, or expulsion: He's gotten the bounce from three different jobs.
- with a bounce; suddenly.
- to recover quickly: After losing the first game of the double-header, the team bounced back to win the second.
- (of an elastic object, such as a ball) to rebound from an impact
- 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
- (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
- to force (a person) to leave (a place or job); throw out; eject
- 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
- vitality; vigour; resilience
- swagger or impudence
- a temporary increase or rise
- the start of play at the beginning of each quarter or after a goal
- to dismiss or be dismissed from a job
- in succession; one after the other
