bounce (redirected from bouncing off the walls)

bounce something around (with someone)

to discuss something with a number of people; to move an idea from person to person like a ball. I need to bounce this around with my family. I need to bounce around something with you.

See also: around

bounce something back and forth 

1. Lit. to bat, toss, or throw something alternately between two people. (Usually a ball.) The two guys bounced the ball back and forth. John and Timmy bounced it back and forth.

2. Fig. to discuss an idea back and forth among a group of people. Let's bounce these ideas back and forth awhile and see what we come up with. The idea was bounced back and forth for about an hour.

See also: and, back, forth

bounce something off (of) someone or something 

1. Lit. to make something rebound off someone or something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) She bounced the ball off the wall, turned, and tossed it to Wally. She bounced the ball off of Harry, into the wastebasket.

2. and bounce something off Fig. to try an idea or concept out on someone or a group. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) Let me bounce off this idea, if I may. Can I bounce something off of you people, while you're here?

bounce along 

1. Lit. to move along bouncing. (As might be done by a ball.) The ball bounced along and finally came to rest. The beach ball sort of bounced along until it came to the water.

2. Fig. [for someone] to move along happily. He was so happy that he just bounced along. He stopped bouncing along when he saw all the work he had to do.

See also: along

bounce back (from something)

1. Lit. [for something] to rebound; [for something] to return bouncing from where it had been. The ball bounced back from the wall. A rubber ball always bounces back.

2. and bounce back (after something) Fig. [for someone] to recover after a disability, illness, blow, or defeat. (See also rebound from something.) She bounced back from her illness quickly. She bounced back quickly after her illness.

See also: back

bounce off (of something)

to rebound from something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) The ball bounced off the wall and struck a lamp. It hit the wall and bounced off.

bounce out (of something)

to rebound out of or away from something. The ball bounced out of the corner into my hands. The ball bounced out of the box it had fallen into.

See also: out

bounce up and down

to spring up and down due to natural elasticity or from being jostled or thrown. The ball bounced up and down for an amazingly long time. I bounced up and down in the back of that truck for almost an hour.

See also: and, up

spring for something and bounce for something

Sl. to treat someone by buying something. I'm bouncing for pizza. Any takers? Ralph sprang for drinks, and we all had a great time.

See also: spring

That's the way the ball bounces. and That's the way the cookie crumbles.; That's the way the mop flops.

Prov. You cannot control everything that happens to you.; You should accept the bad things that happen. Bill: I bought a hundred lottery tickets this week, but I still didn't win! Alan: That's the way the ball bounces. I was planning to have fun on my vacation, but I've been sick the whole time. I guess that's just the way the cookie crumbles. That's tough, but that's the way the mop flops.

See also: ball, way

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That's the way the cookie crumbles.  (British, American & Australian informal) also That's the way the ball bounces. (American informal)

something that you say which means that bad things sometimes happen and there is nothing you can do to prevent it, so it is not worth becoming upset about it I can't believe they chose Sam for the job and not me. Ah well, that's the way the cookie crumbles.

See be laughing all the way to the bank, one way or the other, There's more than one way to skin a cat, claw your way back from, know which way to turn, open the way for, pave the way for, pay its way, pay way, point the way, see which way the cat jumps, see your way to, smooth the way for, wing way, see which way the wind is blowing

See also: cookie, crumble, way

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bounce back (from something)

1. to become healthy again I bounced back in just a few days after the operation.

2. to return to a good condition The economy seems to have bounced back from the recession very quickly.

Etymology: based on the idea of a ball or sounds bouncing back (returning to a particular place)

See also: back