Also:
Write a Bounced Check.
Bounced Check.
Meaning of Idiom ‘Bounce a Check’
v. To bounce a check means to write a bad check or rubber check, which is a check written on an account which does not have the money to cover it.
When a check is bounced, the bank returns the check without paying it.
adj. A bounced check is a check that has been returned from the bank unpaid.
Usage
This idiom has a variety of possible uses. It can be used as a verb, referring to the act of writing a bad check or the action taken by the bank once it receives such a check.
While a person can write a bounced check, they can also simply ‘bounce a check,’ the most common use of the expression. Both variants have the same meaning.
As an adjective, the word bounced is used to describe such a check.
Examples of Use
“I bounced a check at the grocery store but luckily they were quite understanding and allowed me to pay later without making a big deal out of it.”
“Donny is bouncing checks all over town.”
“I don’t understand why the bank bounced my check. There is plenty of money in my account.”
“Don’t worry, my check is not going to bounce.”
“If you write a bounced check the bank will charge you an overdraft fee.”
Origin
A bad check is returned or “bounces back” from the bank. The idiom alludes to how a rubber ball bounced back after being thrown. Since a bad check bounces it is a rubber check.
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