rebound
MediumNeutral
Definition
Meaning
To spring back after impact or to recover from a setback; as a noun, the act of rebounding or a recovery.
Includes specific uses in sports (e.g., basketball rebound), economics (e.g., market rebound), and relationships (e.g., rebound relationship), often implying a quick or resilient return.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Can be used both literally (physical rebound) and figuratively (emotional, economic). Stress may vary: verb often has stress on second syllable, noun on first in some pronunciations, but common usage blends.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
In American English, 'rebound' is strongly associated with basketball; in British English, it's more general. The idiom 'on the rebound' is common in both.
Connotations
Similar in both, though American usage may emphasize sports contexts, while British usage leans towards general recovery.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to sports terminology, but widely used in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
intransitive + from (e.g., rebound from adversity)intransitive + off (e.g., rebound off a surface)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on the rebound (meaning after a breakup or failure)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to market or sales recovery, e.g., 'The company rebounded after the crisis.'
Academic
Used in physics for objects bouncing back, or in social sciences for societal recovery.
Everyday
Common for personal recovery from illness or setbacks, e.g., 'She rebounded quickly.'
Technical
In medicine, e.g., 'rebound hypertension'; in sports, specific to basketball rebounds.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The economy rebounded following the government's new policies.
- Her spirits rebounded after hearing the good news.
American English
- The stock market rebounded overnight.
- He rebounded quickly from his injury.
adjective
British English
- He entered a rebound relationship after his divorce.
- The rebound effect was observed in the experiment.
American English
- She's dating on the rebound.
- The rebound in prices was unexpected.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The ball rebounded from the wall.
- She felt better and rebounded from her cold.
- After the storm, the trees rebounded quickly.
- His confidence rebounded after the win.
- The company's profits rebounded in the third quarter.
- On the rebound, she decided to travel alone.
- The nation's economy rebounded phenomenally post-recession.
- His academic career rebounded after the publication.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a basketball bouncing back after hitting the backboard – that's a rebound, both in sports and in life.
Conceptual Metaphor
Setbacks are elastic collisions; resilience is the ability to rebound like a ball.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'rebound' only for physical bounce; in figurative contexts, it aligns with 'восстановление' not just 'отскок'.
- Don't confuse with 'return' (возврат) which lacks the bouncing connotation.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'rebound' as a transitive verb in non-sports contexts (e.g., 'He rebounded the situation' should be 'He rebounded from the situation').
- Mispronouncing with stress on first syllable in verb forms.
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common idiomatic meaning of 'on the rebound'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is frequently used as both; as a verb for actions and as a noun for instances, with context determining preference.
Yes, it can indicate positive recovery or neutral physical action, but in idioms like 'rebound relationship', it may have negative connotations.
'Rebound' often implies a quicker, more dynamic bounce-back, while 'recover' can be slower or more general; use 'rebound' for emphasized resilience.
Minimal; both British and American English typically use /rɪˈbaʊnd/, though noun forms may stress the first syllable in some dialects.