rebound
rebound — verb
1. of an object that has hit a hard surface, to spring back or move in the opposite
of an object that has hit a hard surface, to spring back or move in the opposite direction after the impact
The tennis ball hit the brick wall and rebounded straight back to Kian.
intransitive: ball + rebound + off/from surface
The sound of Kwame's stone rebounded off the canyon cliffs on both sides.
rebound + off [surface] — sound/sonic use
Nadia's volleyball rebounded from the net and landed on her side of the court.
The rubber ball rebounded off the pavement and hit the bottom of a passing bicycle.
- bounce
more general term for any up-and-down or off-surface movement; rebound often implies motion in a new direction after impact
- ricochet
specifically describes a quick, angled deflection, usually of a bullet or fast-moving object
- spring back
emphasises the elastic quality of the returning motion
文法句型
rebound + off/from [surface]
用法筆記
Only sense of rebound that describes a physical, literal bouncing movement. All other senses are figurative extensions of this core idea.
常見錯誤
2. when a plan or action meant to harm or affect someone else turns around and caus
when a plan or action meant to harm or affect someone else turns around and causes trouble for the person who started it
Tamar's rumours about a colleague rebounded on her when the boss discovered the lies.
rebound on + [person] — backfire pattern
Asher's attempt to embarrass a rival rebounded against him and hurt his own reputation.
rebound against + [person] — alternative preposition
The politician's attack ads rebounded upon his party when voters saw the ads as dishonest.
The prank aimed at embarrassing Shirin rebounded on the boys who planned it.
文法句型
[action/plan] + rebound on/upon + [person]
用法筆記
Frequently used with 'on' or 'upon' followed by the person affected. The subject is always an action, plan, or strategy — never a person. A person cannot 'rebound on' someone else.
常見錯誤
3. to go back to a previous good state after a period of difficulty, poor performan
to go back to a previous good state after a period of difficulty, poor performance, or loss
After three terrible months, the company's profits rebounded strongly in the spring.
rebound + adverb (strongly/quickly) — recovery sense
Joon's health rebounded quickly once the doctors found the right treatment for his condition.
The local tourism industry rebounded from the flood damage faster than anyone had predicted.
After a slow start, the team's confidence rebounded when they scored their first goal.
- recover
broader and more general; recover can be gradual, whereas rebound suggests a faster or sharper improvement
- bounce back
informal equivalent; both suggest a quick return to a previous good state
- rally
often used for prices, currencies, or team performance after a poor period
文法句型
rebound + from [setback/difficulty]
用法筆記
Commonly used in financial and economic contexts (prices, markets, currencies) as well as for personal situations (health, mood, career). Unlike recover, rebound emphasises a quick or sharp return.
常見錯誤
4. to do physical exercise by jumping up and down on a small trampoline, known as a
to do physical exercise by jumping up and down on a small trampoline, known as a rebounder, for health or fitness purposes
Mathieu rebounds for twenty minutes every morning before he leaves for work.
rebound + duration — exercise routine
Baraka's physiotherapist recommended that she rebound gently to improve her circulation and balance.
Heloísa bought a small rebounder so she could rebound indoors during the rainy season.
The fitness class rebounded to fast music while the instructor watched their form closely.
文法句型
rebound + on [rebounder]
用法筆記
A niche sense used mainly in fitness contexts. The equipment (a rebounder) is a small trampoline. This meaning is much less common than the other verb senses.
rebound — noun
1. the action or movement of an object springing back after it has hit a hard surfa
the action or movement of an object springing back after it has hit a hard surface
The rubber ball's rebound was too fast for the dog to catch.
the rebound of [object] — physical bounce
The coin's rebound off the table edge sent it spinning across the floor.
The basketball's rebound off the backboard sent it flying toward the three-point line.
Pim caught the ball on its first rebound before it touched the ground.
文法句型
the rebound of [something]
用法筆記
Often used with 'of' to specify what is bouncing ('the rebound of the ball') or with 'off' to specify the surface ('the rebound off the wall').
2. in a sport like basketball or ice hockey, the game item that players compete for
in a sport like basketball or ice hockey, the game item that players compete for after a shot or strike has failed to score and bounces loose
Samir shot the puck on the rebound from the goalie's pad into the goal.
on the rebound — taking the loose ball/puck after a miss
The forward grabbed the rebound off the goalie's pad and scored into the empty net.
Eitan passed the puck to a teammate waiting by the net for a rebound.
The goalkeeper blocked the first shot but could not stop the rebound from going in.
- loose ball
a ball that is not controlled by either team after a missed shot
文法句型
catch/grab/get the rebound
用法筆記
Used across multiple sports including basketball, hockey, and lacrosse. In basketball this sense overlaps with sense 3, but sense 3 is specifically about a player gaining possession, not just the loose ball.
3. in basketball, the act of catching or gaining control of the ball immediately af
in basketball, the act of catching or gaining control of the ball immediately after a shot has missed the basket
Madison jumped high and grabbed the rebound over two taller players on the opposing team.
grab a rebound — basketball possession
Kian led his team with twelve rebounds in last night's game against the visiting Lakers.
lead in rebounds — basketball stat pattern
The coach told the forwards to fight for every offensive rebound in the second half.
Bao grabbed seven defensive rebounds and helped his team hold onto the lead.
- board
informal basketball slang; 'he grabbed ten boards' means ten rebounds
文法句型
grab/pull down a rebound
lead in rebounds
用法筆記
Basketball distinguishes offensive rebounds (caught by the attacking team, giving another scoring chance) and defensive rebounds (caught by the defending team, ending the opponent's attack). Players who get many rebounds are called 'rebounders'.
4. a quick or emotionally driven response that follows a disappointment, failure, o
a quick or emotionally driven response that follows a disappointment, failure, or painful experience, often made without careful thought
Brandon married on the rebound just three months after his breakup with Mia.
on the rebound (from a relationship) — emotional reaction
Nadia bought a sports car on the rebound after losing her job at the hospital.
His move abroad was a rebound from the disappointment of not getting the promotion.
Reuben's friends warned him not to start a relationship on the rebound after his divorce.
- knee-jerk reaction
an immediate, unthinking response; slightly more negative than rebound
- backlash
a strong negative reaction against a recent event or trend
- considered decision
a choice made after careful thought, not as an impulsive reaction
文法句型
on the rebound (from [something])
用法筆記
The fixed phrase 'on the rebound' is very common, especially about starting a new romantic relationship soon after a previous one has ended. When used this way, it often implies the new relationship may not be carefully considered.