bouncing off

Definitions

to be full of energy and enthusiasm
to describe someone who is very lively and excited
to discuss ideas or thoughts
to talk about different ideas and perspectives, often in a quick and energetic manner

Examples of bouncing off

The ideas she presented during the meeting kept bouncing off the walls, meaning they were not receiving any positive feedback or support from others present.

This usage of "bouncing off" implies that the ideas were not being received well by the other people in the meeting, much like a ball bouncing off a hard surface. The phrase "walls" in this context can be interpreted metaphorically, representing a collective resistance or lack of interest from the other participants.
The young star's energy and enthusiasm were bouncing off the court, inspiring his teammates to play with renewed vigor and determination.

In this usage, "bouncing off" is used to illustrate the positive impact the star's exuberance was having on his teammates. The phrase "the court" is used to denote the sporting arena, symbolizing the way the athlete's contagious spirit was spreading throughout the entire playing field.
Her words fell on deaf ears, bouncing off the group like a ball on a concrete floor.

Here, "bouncing off" is employed to convey the idea that the person's message was being ignored or rejected entirely by the group. The metaphorical use of "deaf ears" highlights the fact that the listeners were refusing to even hear what was being said, while the phrase "concrete floor" signifies the total lack of response or interest.
His suggestions were bouncing off the board, as the decision-makers failed to find any merit in his ideas.

The usage of "bouncing off" in this instance suggests that the suggestions were being dismissed out of hand, in much the same way a ball would rebound from a smooth surface like a whiteboard. The phrase "decision-makers" refers to the individuals responsible for making critical choices, implying that they were unwilling to consider the suggested alternatives.
Ideas were bouncing off the walls during the brainstorming session.

This idiom is used to describe a situation where many ideas are being suggested rapidly and enthusiastically, as if they are bouncing around the room.
The ballounced off the ground and into the bargain.

The phrase "off the ground" means that the ball was lifted off the ground by the force of the impact. The idiom "into the bargain" is added here to mean that something else unexpected happened at the same time.
Her ideas didn't bounce off anyone – they were accepted immediately.

This idiom is used to describe a scenario where an idea is not received well or is overlooked. This example shows that the person's ideas were so persuasive that people didn't ignore or overlook them, instead, they were accepted straight away.
After hours of discussing, our ideas were still bouncing off each other.

Here, the idiom is used to signify that the people involved in the discussion were getting frustrated due to a lack of progress or consensus. The ideas being exchanged were not resolved, rather, they kept being passed back and forth between the people involved.

Conclusion

The idiom "bouncing off" can have two main meanings. It can be used to describe someone who is full of energy and enthusiasm, or to refer to discussing ideas or thoughts in a lively and energetic manner.

Origin of "bouncing off"

The origin of the idiom "bouncing off" is not clear, but it likely comes from the physical action of bouncing, which is energetic and lively. The idiom may have originated from the idea of someone being so full of energy and enthusiasm that they seem to be physically bouncing around. In the context of discussing ideas or thoughts, "bouncing off" may come from the notion of ideas bouncing back and forth between people in a conversation, creating a lively and energetic exchange. Overall, the idiom "bouncing off" conveys a sense of liveliness and vigor in both its meanings.