PhrasesHub

bounced off

    Definitions

      • fail to have an effect
        To describe a situation in which something, such as a suggestion or criticism, has no impact or influence on someone

      • deflect or redirect
        To describe how something, such as a comment or idea, is redirected or deflected away from its intended target

    Examples of bounced off

    • The ball bounced off the walls multiple times before finally landing at my feet.

      The "bounced off" idiom is used in this context to convey that the ball hit the walls so hard that it bounced back, or "bounced off," them. This idiom is commonly used to describe an object that has impacted some surface and then bounced back in another direction.

    • My ideas consistently bounce off my boss's closed mind.

      In this example, the idiom is being used figuratively to suggest that the speaker's ideas are not being well-received by their boss due to their inflexible and unresponsive attitude. The idea is not being absorbed or utilized, but rather is being "bounced off" and returned without any further consideration.

    • The sales pitch bounced off the potential client, and we didn't secure the deal.

      In this example, the idiom is being used to show that the sales presentation was not successful in convincing the potential client to make a purchase. The pitch impacted the client, but rather than accepting the proposal, the idea bounced back and did not lead to a sale.

    • The air horn blasted, but the noise bounced off the walls and barely made a sound in the large, empty interior.

      In this last example, the idiom is being used to describe the situation where sound was being produced, but it was not being transmitted or absorbed in the space. Instead, the noise hit the walls of the vacant area, bounced back, and did not make a significant impact. This idiom is useful when describing a sound that fails to penetrate a space or a volume due to lack of absorption or attenuation.

    • The company's marketing plan bounced off the CEO.

      The CEO did not approve or accept the company's marketing plan, causing it to have no impact and effectively ending it.

    • The idea bounced off the board of directors.

      The board of directors did not approve or accept the idea, causing it to have no impact and effectively ending it.

    • The ball bounced off the wall and hit the player in the face.

      The ball did not touch the intended target but instead hit the player by bouncing off the wall.

    • The piece of information bounced off my friend's mind as soon as she heard it.

      My friend did not retain or remember the piece of information, causing it to have no impact on her.


    Conclusion

    The idiom "bounced off" is used to convey the idea that something has failed to have an effect or has been deflected or redirected. It can be used in various contexts to describe situations where a suggestion, criticism, or idea did not impact someone as intended, or where something was redirected away from its initial target.

    In the first meaning, "bounced off" is used to express the failure of something to have an effect on someone. It can be used to describe a situation where advice or criticism did not influence someone's actions or decisions.

    In the second meaning, "bounced off" is used to describe how something is deflected or redirected. This can be used to convey the idea that a comment or idea was not received as intended and was redirected to a different target.

    Overall, the idiom "bounced off" is a versatile expression that can be used to convey the lack of impact or the redirection of something in various situations.

    Origin of "bounced off"

    The origin of the idiom "bounced off" can be traced back to the literal meaning of the word "bounce," which refers to the action of a moving object hitting a surface and rebounding. The idiom likely originated from this literal sense, as it is used metaphorically to describe the lack of impact or the redirection of something.

    The use of "bounced off" in a figurative sense may have developed over time as a way to describe the failure of something to have an effect or the redirection of an idea or comment. The idiom has become a common expression in English language usage, conveying the concept of something failing to make an impact or being redirected in a different direction.

    Overall, the idiom "bounced off" likely originated from the literal action of bouncing and has evolved to convey the figurative meanings of lack of impact or redirection in various contexts. Examples of this idiom can be found in literature, everyday conversation, and various forms of media.