Bounce

Bounce: A Navy ship-dog's name with historic traditions. One of the first Bounces was Collingwoods's dog-companion at sea, to whom the Admiral wrote some quaint verses. Bounce was at Trafalgar, and did not exactly distinguish himself, according to Collingwood. He was notorious for his way of swaggering objectionably as "the Admiral's dog" over other dogs in the fleet, and finally, disappeared overboard one dark night. A more recent naval Bounce figured before the King one day at Scapa as an officer relates. At the King's inspection on 8 July 1916, at Scapa, Bounce followed his ship's company on board the flagship for the parade before His Majesty. At the supreme moment, when everybody was standing at attention, Bounce suddenly burst into the midst in deadly combat with a German dog which had been rescued from a sinking prize and named Fritz. There was general consternation on the quarterdeck until the King made everybody easy by saying with a laugh: " Ten to one on the bull terrier!"

A bounce: A perquisite. A "squeeze." A transaction more or less illicit, for example, "Forty lots of cigarettes were drawn for thirty men: somebody got the bounce." Also means dismissal, for example, "He got the bounce this morning."

On the bounce: On the spur of the moment. At the critical moment.

To bounce: To "bluff" someone.

Glossary of words and phrases

The above term is listed in our glossary of words and phrases of the Armed Forces of Great Britain during the Great War. Included are trench slang, service terms, expressions in everyday use, nicknames, the titles and origins of British and Commonwealth Regiments, and warfare in general. These words and phrases are contemporary to the war, which is reflected in the language used. They have been transcribed from three primary sources (see Contents). Feel free to expand upon and improve this content.
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