From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishbouncebounce1 /baʊns/ ●●● S3 verb 1 MOVE FROM A SURFACEball/object [intransitive, transitive]HIT/BUMP INTO if a ball or other object bounces, or you bounce it, it immediately moves up or away from a surface after hitting itbounce off The ball bounced off the post and into the goal.bounce something on/against etc something The kids were bouncing a ball against the wall.2 MOVE UP AND DOWNjump up and down [intransitive]JUMP to move up and down, especially because you are hitting a surface that is made of rubber, has springs etcbounce on Lyn was bouncing on the trampoline. Stop bouncing up and down on the sofa.► see thesaurus at jump3 CHEQUEcheque [intransitive, transitive]BFB if a cheque bounces, or if a bank bounces a cheque, the bank will not pay any money because there is not enough money in the account of the person who wrote it4 walkWALK [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]WALK to walk quickly and with a lot of energy Olivia came bouncing into the room.5 WHEN YOU MOVEsomething moves up and down [intransitive]MOVE/CHANGE POSITION if something bounces, it moves quickly up and down as you move Her hair bounced when she walked. 6 LIGHT/SOUNDlight/sound [intransitive, transitive]REFLECT if light or sound bounces, it hits a surface and then moves quickly away from itbounce (something) off something The radio signals are bounced off a satellite.7 email (also bounce back) [intransitive, transitive] if an email that you send bounces or is bounced, it is returned to you and the other person does not receive it because of a technical problem8 → bounce ideas off somebody9 force somebody to leave [transitive] informal to force someone to leave a place, job, or organization, especially because they have done something wrongbounce somebody from something Taylor was bounced from the team for assaulting another player. → bounce something ↔ around → bounce back → bounce somebody into something→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
bounce• She tried to mail him several times but the message always bounced.• Socialism and fun were here colliding, whereas conservatism and fun seem to bounce along happily in the YCs.• Unfortunately, when you write, your thoughts bounce around the page in a similar fashion.• Daks are known to bounce back, but this one looks beyond recall.• Two boys stood on the corner bouncing basketballs.• The ball couldn't have bounced better for Steve White, who took aim and and hit the target with some style.• The Nikkei 225-stock index has spent most of the past two years bouncing between 14000 and 20000.• Grosso talks rapidly, bouncing from one thought to the next.• Doherty's case has bounced him from court to court.• I was in a sea plane with 10 others, bouncing in the air currents.• We were encouraged to bounce links off each other.• First I thought that a bullet had hit me on the helmet and somehow bounced off.• If the check bounces, the bank charges a fee of $18.• That June, he bounced the other two leaders and named himself President.• We sat bouncing up and down in our seats for the excitement.bounce off• The game of squash is played by hitting a ball that bounces off a wall.• The device works by bouncing sound waves off objects and measuring the time it takes for the sound to return.• When atmospheric conditions are right, radio waves bounce off the ionosphere and can be received many thousands of miles away.• Both of William's shots bounced off the rim of the basket.• Her naturally loud voice seemed to bounce off the walls.bouncing up and down• Is the opponent bouncing up and down?• We sat bouncing up and down in our seats for the excitement.• And it's Zack who gets the crowd bouncing up and down in time to his dazzling raps.• They look like some sort of animal, bouncing up and down like that.• There's these springy sort of things bouncing up and down on a string like they're alive.• Anthea was told to interview some one while bouncing up and down on a trampoline.• At the mention of ice cream the little girl became excited and animated, bouncing up and down on the bed.• Dooley was bouncing up and down with excitement. bounce somebody from something• Sean has already been bounced from three schools.bouncebounce2 noun 1 [countable]MOVE/CHANGE POSITION the action of moving up and down on a surface Try to catch the ball on the second bounce.2 [uncountable]MOVE/CHANGE POSITION the ability to move up and down on a surface, or that surface’s ability to make something move up and down The ball had completely lost its bounce. a basketball court with good bounce3 [singular, uncountable]ENERGETIC a lot of energy that someone has Exercise is great. I feel like there’s a new bounce in my step.4 [uncountable] hair that has bounce is in very good condition and goes back to its shape if you press it a brand-new styling spray that gives your hair body and bounce5 [countable] a sudden increase in something such as how popular a leader isbounce in the bounce in the property marketExamples from the Corpus
bounce• You get a bounce as the week progresses.• The ball glanced on a bounce off the foot of a spectator and back down toward the fairway.• Lee hacked on and collected a favourable bounce to dot down at the posts.• I caught the ball on the first bounce.• Chang felt that the surface, which offered an unusually high bounce for an indoor court, suited a baseliner like himself.• This type of groove should be played very tight, smack on the beat at all times, but with a little bounce.• Perot deservedly got no popularity bounce from his nomination, as both Dole and Clinton did after their conventions.From Longman Business Dictionarybouncebounce1 /baʊns/ verb1[intransitive, transitive]BANKING if a cheque bounces or a bank bounces it, the bank will not pay any money because there is not enough money in the account of the person who wrote the chequeEvery time a cheque bounces it costs us £25 in bank charges.His bank bounced the cheque and cancelled his overdraft.2[intransitive]FINANCEECONOMICS to quickly increase in price or amount, especially after having fallenThe airline’s shares bounced to 617p before settling back to 604p.3[intransitive]FINANCE if a stockmarket bounces, it suddenly becomes very active and share prices riseTokyo’s beleaguered stock market bounced dramatically to erase some of its recent losses.4[intransitive, transitive] (also bounce back)COMPUTING if an email that you send bounces or is bounced back, it is returned to you and the other person does not receive it because of a technical problem → bounce back→ See Verb tablebouncebounce2 noun [countable] a sudden rise in something such as prices, sales, or share pricesEconomists agree that there could be a bounce in prices next year. → dead cat bounceOrigin bounce1 (1500-1600) bounce “to hit” ((13-19 centuries)), probably from the sound 