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Ricocheting - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Ricocheting means bouncing off a surface, often at an angle, like a bullet or ball. It describes swift, repeated rebounds and can also metaphorically imply rapid, unpredictable movement or reactions.

ricocheting

/**American phonetic transcription:** ˌrɪkəˈʃeɪɪŋ/ /**British phonetic transcription:** ˈrɪkəʃeɪɪŋ/

Definition:

Bouncing off a surface repeatedly, often at high speed.

Synonyms:

Rebounding, bouncing, deflecting, glancing

Part of Speech:

Verb, noun

Antonyms:

Stopping, halting

Common Collocations:

Bullet ricocheting, ball ricocheting, sound ricocheting

Derivatives:

Ricocheted, ricochets

Usage Tips:

Use "ricocheting" to describe fast-moving objects bouncing unpredictably off surfaces.

Common Phrases:

Ricochet effect, like a ricochet bullet

Etymology:

From French "ricocher," meaning to skip or bounce like a flat stone on water.

Examples:

  • 1. The bullet kept ricocheting off the metal walls.
  • 2. The tennis ball went ricocheting around the court after the wild hit.
  • 3. Her voice echoed, ricocheting through the empty hallway.
  • 4. The rock went ricocheting down the cliffside before landing in the river.

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