on the bounce
1
7.4
- idiom
- UK
:
de inmediato
- When he took the ball on the bounce.
Examples
-
She caught the ball on the bounce before it hit the ground.
-
He answered the question on the bounce, showing he was prepared.
-
They decided to move forward with the project on the bounce, without waiting for further approval.
Synonyms
56
6.5
Right away without waiting
14
5.3
Quickly while you do something, without planning
Right after something happens
Antonyms
How Immediate
330
1.0
∞
1.0
960
1.0
- UK
1
7.4
6
1.5
∞
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly derivable from the constituents: 'on' indicates position/time and 'bounce' refers to the rebound event, so 'on the bounce' conveys being at the moment of the bounce — i.e. immediately or without delay. This compositional temporal reading is straightforward and cross-linguistically plausible, so a B1 learner who knows the words would likely understand it.
Etymology
On the bounce comes from the image of a ball hitting the ground and springing up again. To act or catch something on the bounce is to do it right after the bounce, without stopping. So on the bounce means 'immediately' or 'without delay'.