ricochet

rico·chet (rik′ə s̸hā′, rik′ə s̸hā′; Brit, -s̸het′)

noun

the oblique rebound or skipping of a bullet, stone, etc. after striking a surface at an angle
a bullet, etc. that ricochets

Etymology: Fr; used first in fable du ricochet (story in which the narrator constantly evades the hearers' questions) < ?

intransitive verb -·cheted′-s̸hād′ or -·chet′·ted-s̸het′id, -·chet′·ing-s̸hā′iŋ or -·chet′·ting-s̸het′iŋ

to make a ricochet motion

Etymology: Fr ricocher < the n.

reflect, rebound, skip, glance off; see bounce 1. See syn. study at skip.

Object

bullet: He was on duty in the Afghan capital shortly after the fall of the Taliban when a ricocheting bullet hit him in the head.
ball: Matty Hamshaw's hopeful ball forward somehow ricocheted through to striker Barker who drilled home at the near post from 15 yards.

Converse of object

avoid: The squared-off point avoids ricochets to a certain extent and increases penetration in wet pack - for reasons which are unclear to me.
see: Cox tried to pick his way through but an attempted clearance saw the ball ricochet off his legs.

Modifies a noun

shot: She came bouncing into the room like a ricochet shot.

Modifying Another Word

back: The car ricocheted back, spinning out of control.
then: Her words caught Daniel's senses a glancing blow and then ricocheted away into infinity.
away: The woodwork and the Aldershot players were visibly rattled and a hush descended on the ground as the ball ricocheted away to safety.

Noun used with modifier

ball: Cox tried to pick his way through but an attempted clearance saw the ball ricochet off his legs.
bullet: The gunfights have some nice details, especially the way Rosette's bullets ricochet with a little crucifix spark.
shot: Rich Payne pounced on Alex Mugan's drilled cross, only to see his goalbound shot ricochet off a defender.

Followed by a transitive particle

off: He was duly invited into the studio where he was hit by a bolt which ricocheted off the studio lights.
around: They have monitors, but these are not very effective, nor are the echoes which ricochet around the hall.

Particle object:

wall: Thomas Morrow: policeman, killed by a bullet ricocheting off a factory wall at Camlough in 1972.
post: My first shot ricocheted off the post, and I just sort of dived in and forced the ball over the line.
rock: We threw ourselves down to the ground and could hear the bullets ricocheting off the rocks around us.
tree: There were further disasters with Simon Randall ricocheting off a tree to find himself thirty yards behind his starting point.

Preposition: from

wall: Stumbling down the corridor they ricochet from wall to wall, a series of loud thumps marking their progress.

Followed by an intransitive particle

around: Although his shot was initially blocked, the ball ricocheted around in the box before Duffy blasted home from six yards.
off: Bullets had been flying about the street all the morning, ricocheting off from the walls in a highly unpleasant manner.

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