ricocheting
Deflecting after impact
Ricocheting is the present participle of ricochet—to bounce or skip off a surface at an angle.
Bullets ricochet off walls, stones ricochet across water.
The word extends to anything that rebounds unpredictably: Ideas were ricocheting around the room.
The motion implies deflection rather than direct impact, often with continued movement after the bounce.
Springing back repeatedly
- caromAngled deflection shot
- angleGeometric measure of rotation
- deflectionChange in trajectory
- reboundReturn after deflection
billiards · pinball · glance · skip · skim · trajectory · cushion · projectile
Product of mass, velocity
- elasticityTendency to resume original form
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- kineticRelating to motion
- impactForceful contact or consequence
collision · recoil · springback · bounceback · energy · force · coefficient · surface
Brief metallic tone
- crackNarrow break or attempt
- whineComplain in high pitch
- zingVivid energy or sharpness
- echoReflected sound wave
reverberation · clatter · rattle · metallic · report · acoustic · resonance · auditory
Indirect result of action
- consequenceResult of an action
- cascadeSuccessive downward flow
- spilloverExcess that escapes
- dominoRectangular game piece
boomerang · blowback · aftereffect · reverberate · ripple · spreading · unintended · indirect
bouncing
Springing back repeatedly
- caromAngled deflection shot
- angleGeometric measure of rotation
- deflectionChange in trajectory
rebound · billiards · pinball · glance · skip · skim · trajectory · cushion · projectile · bullet
momentum
Product of mass, velocity
- elasticityTendency to resume original form
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- kineticRelating to motion
impact · collision · recoil · springback · bounceback · energy · force · coefficient · surface · friction
ping
Brief metallic tone
echo · reverberation · clatter · rattle · metallic · report · acoustic · resonance · auditory · vibration
repercussion
Indirect result of action
- consequenceResult of an action
- cascadeSuccessive downward flow
- spilloverExcess that escapes
domino · boomerang · blowback · aftereffect · reverberate · ripple · spreading · unintended · indirect · fallout