ricochet

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a glancing rebound from a surface, especially by a bullet or other projectile

   The bullet's ricochet sent fragments across the pavement.

2. 2
   verb

   to rebound one or more times after striking a surface at an angle

   Loose stones began to ricochet off the metal barrier.

3. 3
   noun

   a method of firing a projectile so that it skips or rebounds along a surface

   The gun crew attempted a ricochet across the water toward the target.

Borrowed from French ricochet, whose deeper origin is uncertain. In French it first referred to a stone skipping across water; English extended the word to the rebound of bullets and other projectiles.

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