Origin and history of bounce

early 13c., bounsen "to thump, hit," a word of uncertain origin, perhaps from Dutch bonzen "to beat, thump," or Low German bunsen, or imitative. The sense probably has been influenced by bound (v.). In 17c., "to talk big, bluster; bully, scold." The meaning "to bound like a ball" is from 1510s; the transitive sense of "cause to rebound" is from 1876. Of a check, "be returned for insufficient funds," from 1927. Related: Bounced; bouncing.

1520s, "a heavy blow," also "a leap, a rebound" from bounce (v.). In reference to politicians and public opinion polls, by 1996, American English.