be bouncing off the walls
To be very active and energetic to the point of hyperactivity. How much sugar did you give the kids? They're bouncing off the walls! A: "Why are you bouncing off the walls?" B: "I just got great news!" The kids have been bouncing off the walls ever since we told them we're going to Disney World over Christmas break.
bounce
1. verb, slang To leave or depart. A: "Won't you stay a little longer?" B: "Nah, I had better bounce. I've got an early morning tomorrow." Come on, let's bounce. This party is dead. Did he bounce already? Aw, I was hoping to talk to him about something.
2. verb, slang To expel someone (from some place) by force. Hey Tony, bounce this clown outta here, will ya? The boss's goons bounced the man from the office, tossing his briefcase and jacket out after him. Hey, you've got the wrong guy! Don't bounce me out of the club—I didn't do anything wrong!
3. verb To write a check for an account that has insufficient funds for the amount being drawn. My ex-husband bounced checks all over the state before he disappeared. How can you run a business and bounce checks like this? No wonder no one wants to work with you! I didn't mean to bounce that check, I swear! I thought I had more money in that account!
4. verb Of a check, to be returned unpaid due to insufficient funds in the account on which it is being drawn. They told me that they would be shutting off our electricity because my last check bounced. The shop has a display containing every check that has ever bounced so as to name and shame the people who tried paying with them. This check better not bounce—I really need the money.
5. verb Of a bank, to return an unpaid check due to insufficient funds in the account on which it is being drawn. The bank bounced the check I had been given as payment for my services, meaning I had basically done 40 hours of work for free. We'll be long gone before the bank bounces our check, so everything will be fine. They won't be able to catch up to us. I had no idea the company was failing until the bank bounced my paycheck.
6. noun, informal Energy or vitality; pep. She had a lot of bounce coming out of the meeting after the boss agreed to green light her proposal. I hope Bill's all right. He doesn't seem to have much bounce these days. I'm finally getting some bounce back after being sick for a week!
bounce (something) back and forth
1. Literally, for two or more people to bounce something, typically a ball, between them. It's nice to see the kids out in the back yard bouncing a ball back and forth. You two have got to get out of my hair! Go bounce this tennis ball back and forth outside—anything! I feel like all we do in gym class is bounce a ball back and forth. When are we ever going to play an actual game?
2. To discuss something. I bounced the idea of becoming an actress back and forth with many people before discussing it with my parents. I bet if we could make your concept even better if we bounced it back and forth with some of the other people in the office. My husband and I have been bouncing the job offer back and forth. The problem isn't the job itself, it's the relocation.
bounce along
1. Of an object, to move with repeated hops or bounces into the air. The rubber ball bounced along the floor and then rolled into the wall. Watch out, there's a basketball bouncing along the street, so there will probably be a kid chasing after it. The ball bounced along the foul line and just narrowly avoided becoming fair.
2. Of a person, to move with a noticeably cheerful demeanor. He's been bouncing along ever since his crush agreed to go on a date with him. A: "You must be feeling better if you're bouncing along like that!" B: "Yeah, I finally seem to be over that stupid cold." Everyone in the department has been bouncing along since we got word of the Christmas bonuses.
bounce around
1. Of an object, to move erratically with repeated hops into the air. The rubber ball bounced around before finally rolling into the wall. If you're driving and you see a basketball bouncing around, watch out because there's probably a kid chasing after it. None of the fans were able to corral the foul ball as it bounced around the stands.
2. Of a person, to move or change between several different things, such as jobs or places. Well, since I graduated from school, I've just been bouncing around, working any job I can get. That player has bounced around a lot in his short career—in three years, he's already been on five teams! I could never bounce around all these cities like you do, man. I need a stable environment.
3. To discuss something with other people by mentioning it informally, in passing, or at various times. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "bounce" and "around." I bounced around the idea of becoming an actress with many people before discussing it with my parents. Hey, let's bounce your idea around the office to see if anyone wants to join our team. I don't want to bounce around baby names with my family because I don't want to hear all of their complaints. If we tell them only once we've picked a name, well, what can they say then?
4. To circulate widely. News of my suspension sure bounced around fast—the whole school already knows about it. Wait, you guys already know? Ugh, I guess that awful rumor about me bounced around faster than I thought. Only bad news seems to bounce around at this speed. If you had done something positive, no one would be talking about it.
bounce back
1. Of an object, to return to its starting point by bouncing. I threw the rubber ball against the wall and caught it when it bounced back to me. Well, I was hoping the ball would bounce back to me, not hit the grass and just stop! I missed my shot, but at least the ball hit the backboard and bounced back to me.
2. Of a person, to recover from a setback. The doctors expect her to bounce back and make a full recovery. Kids are resilient, so I'm sure your daughter will bounce back from that scary incident. Give her time—a divorce isn't something you bounce back from overnight.
bounce back and forth
To consider or change between several options. No, I haven't settled on a college yet—I'm still bouncing back and forth between a few options. Last I heard, they were still bouncing back and forth between several neighborhoods and hadn't decided on a house yet. A: "Have they picked a baby name yet?" B: "No, I believe they're still bouncing back and forth between their favorite names."
bounce for (something)
To pay for something expensive, especially as a treat for oneself or someone else. I decided to bounce for the new video game as a reward to myself for doing so well on my exam. Janet is bouncing for a trip to Disney World for her family this summer. We bounced for an island getaway in honor of our tenth wedding anniversary.
bounce off the walls
To be very active and energetic to the point of hyperactivity. How much sugar did you give the kids? They're bouncing off the walls! A: "Why are you bouncing off the walls?" B: "I just got great news!" The kids have been bouncing off the walls ever since we told them we're going to Disney World over Christmas break.
bounce out
1. Of an object, to come out of a container or place in a bouncing motion. The ball bounced out of the net. You hit the golf ball just a little bit too hard—that's why it bounced out of the hole. Man, I thought for sure that would go in the corner pocket, but it bounced out!
2. To force someone out of something, such as a particular job or place. Did you hear that the CEO was bounced out by the board of directors? If you think you can't get bounced out of your cushy job just because you've got connections, you are sadly mistaken, pal. I know he's a screw up, but he's also the CFO's son, so good luck bouncing him out!
bounce up and down
To hop up and down. The kids started bouncing up and down when they heard school was closed for the day. Would you take Billy to the potty? He's practically bouncing up and down. My kids were so eager to get to the amusement park that they were bouncing up and down in the hotel lobby.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
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.
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. 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.
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.
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.
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.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.