bounce

/baʊns/ (bre, ipa) · /baʊns/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈbau̇n(t)s/ (ame, mw)

bounce — verb

1. to spring away after hitting the ground, a wall, or another surface, or to make

1.動詞及物 / 不及物B1
釋義

to spring away after hitting the ground, a wall, or another surface, or to make something move with short repeated jumps or shaking.

例句

The tennis ball bounced off the fence and rolled under a car.

pattern: bounce off + surface

Priya bounced the basketball twice before passing to her brother.

transitive: bounce + object

同義詞
  • rebound

    more formal; common in sports, science, and figurative writing.

  • spring back

    stresses quick return after pressure or impact.

  • bob

    usually means small repeated up-and-down movement, often on water.

反義詞
  • drop

    move downward without springing back up.

  • sink

    go lower and stay low instead of coming back.

文法句型

bounce off + surface

bounce + object

bounce + object + on someone's knee

bounce along/against

用法筆記

Often followed by 'off', 'against', or 'along'. Transitive uses usually involve balls, babies, vehicles, or signals being moved in short repeated jumps. Distinguish from sense 2, which adds a cheerful or excited feeling.

常見錯誤

❌The ball bounced to the wall.
✅The ball bounced off the wall.
💡use 'off' when the ball hits a surface and comes away from it.

2. to move with quick, cheerful energy, as if you are too excited or happy to stay

2.動詞不及物B2
釋義

to move with quick, cheerful energy, as if you are too excited or happy to stay still.

例句

Hana bounced into the kitchen with her exam results in hand.

pattern: bounce into + place

The children bounced around the yard when the ice-cream truck arrived.

pattern: bounce around + place

同義詞
  • skip

    often lighter and more playful; can suggest childlike movement.

  • bound

    stronger and bigger in movement; often a long jump or leap.

  • prance

    more showy and often used for proud or exaggerated movement.

反義詞
  • trudge

    move slowly and heavily, often because of tiredness.

  • shuffle

    move with small dragging steps, not energetic ones.

文法句型

bounce into + place

bounce around + place

bounce across + place

bounce on your toes

用法筆記

Often followed by words like 'into', 'around', 'across', or 'on'. Unlike sense 1, the focus here is not on striking a surface but on the person's lively manner.

3. if a cheque or check bounces, the bank will not pay it because the account does

3.動詞及物 / 不及物
釋義

if a cheque or check bounces, the bank will not pay it because the account does not contain enough money; a bank can also bounce it.

例句

Our rent cheque bounced, so the landlord called that afternoon.

pattern: a cheque/check bounces

The bank bounced Yusuf's cheque after three bills cleared first.

transitive: bounce a cheque/check

同義詞
反義詞
  • clear

    be accepted and paid by the bank.

文法句型

a cheque/check bounces

bounce a cheque/check

用法筆記

Usually used with 'cheque' or 'check' as the subject or object. The problem is lack of money in the account, not a technical delivery error like sense 4.

常見錯誤

❌My cheque failed because I forgot to add money.
✅My cheque bounced because I forgot to add money.
💡this verb is used when a bank refuses payment for lack of funds.

4. to have an email come back to the sender because it cannot reach the address, or

4.動詞及物 / 不及物C2
釋義

to have an email come back to the sender because it cannot reach the address, or to have a mail system send it back in this way.

例句

My message to the hotel bounced because I typed the address wrongly.

pattern: an email bounces

The system bounced Omar's email after the mail server went down.

transitive: bounce an email

同義詞
  • be returned

    general result phrase; not specific about email systems.

  • fail

    broader computing word; can refer to many kinds of system problems.

  • be undeliverable

    more formal and common in technical notices.

反義詞

文法句型

an email bounces

bounce an email

bounce back to the sender

用法筆記

Usually used with 'email', 'message', or 'address'. Unlike sense 3, the failure is about delivery, often because the address is wrong or the server cannot receive the message.

5. to mention an idea to someone so that you can hear their reaction or find out wh

5.動詞及物
釋義

to mention an idea to someone so that you can hear their reaction or find out whether they approve of it.

例句

Can I bounce a plan off you before tomorrow's meeting?

pattern: bounce an idea off someone

Ravi bounced his app idea off two teachers during lunch.

同義詞
  • run by

    close everyday equivalent; often used for plans or decisions.

  • sound out

    stresses testing another person's opinion before acting.

  • float

    often used when an idea is offered lightly to see how people respond.

文法句型

bounce an idea off someone

bounce a plan off someone

bounce something off someone

用法筆記

Most common in the pattern 'bounce an idea off someone'. It suggests an informal check for reactions, not a formal request for permission.

常見錯誤

❌I bounced my idea to my boss.
✅I bounced my idea off my boss.
💡this pattern normally uses 'off' before the person you ask.

6. to throw someone out of a job, team, building, or similar place, usually suddenl

6.動詞及物
釋義

to throw someone out of a job, team, building, or similar place, usually suddenly and not by choice.

例句

The club bounced two players after the late-night fight.

pattern: bounce someone from + team

Security bounced the drunk customer from the concert hall.

pattern: bounce someone from + place

同義詞
  • fire

    standard and common for removing someone from a job.

  • kick out

    very informal; especially common for removing someone from a place.

  • expel

    more formal; often used for schools, groups, or official removal.

反義詞
  • keep

    allow someone to stay in a job, team, or place.

  • admit

    allow someone to enter a place or join a group.

文法句型

bounce someone from + place

bounce someone from + team

bounce someone from + job

用法筆記

Informal. The object is a person, and the job, team, or place often follows with 'from'. Standard business English more often uses 'fire' for a job, while 'bounce' also works for being thrown out of a place.

bounce — noun