ricochet

intr.v., -cheted (-shād'), -chet·ing (-shā'ĭng), -chets (-shāz').
To rebound at least once from a surface.

n.
The act or an instance of ricocheting.

[French, from Old French, give-and-take.]

verb

To strike a surface at such an angle as to be deflected: carom, dap, glance, graze, skim, skip. See strike/miss.

Although the etymology of this French word is unknown, the concept is familiar to all who have seen any film involving firearms. In such films, the rebounding of a projectile from any suitable surface, such as a wall, water, or armour plating, leads to the round missing its intended target and noisily departing the scene. In the reality of combat, the situation differs. The ricochet's result is indiscriminate and unpredictable, placing all in close proximity in danger. For those involved in internal security operations, a ricochet striking an innocent bystander can have major political consequences. This has led to the development of special rounds which are designed to break up on contact with an unyielding surface.

In spite of its hazards, ricochet is not without value. It was used in both field and siege operations to bounce cannon balls through an enemy's tightly packed ranks or along a defended rampart, enhancing their effect. The latter technique seems first to have been employed by Vauban in 1688. The practice of low-level skip bombing, particularly employed in attacks on shipping during WW II, relied upon ricochet for its effect. The bomb would be dropped ahead of the target and then ricochet from the surface into it. The technique simplified bomb aiming, and allowed alternative attack profiles to be flown by aircrew. Then again, the bomb might detonate under the aircraft and destroy it. In general ricochet is an element of combat which all participants would be safer without.

— David Jordan

IN BRIEF: To bounce off a surface at an angle.

Did the ball ricochet off the roof?

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - rikochet
v. intr. - prelle af, rikochettere

Nederlands (Dutch)
weerkaatsen van een object

Français (French)
n. - ricochet
v. intr. - ricocher

Deutsch (German)
n. - Abprallen, Abpraller
v. - abprallen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - εποστρακισμός
v. - εποστρακίζω/-ομαι, αναπηδώ

Italiano (Italian)
rimbalzo, rimbalzare

Português (Portuguese)
n. - ricochete (m)
v. - ricochetear

Русский (Russian)
рикошет, рикошетировать

Español (Spanish)
n. - rebote
v. intr. - rebotar

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - rikoschett
v. - rikoschettera

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
跳飞, 跳弹, 跳射

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 跳飛, 跳彈
v. intr. - 跳飛, 跳射

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 튀며 날기, 도탄
v. intr. - 튀며 날다, 도탄 사격을 하다

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 跳飛, 跳弾
v. - 跳飛する

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) النبو, إرتداد القذيفه بعد إصابتها سطح مستو (فعل) تنبو القذيفه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮נתז, קליע חוזר, ניתור, פגיעת נתז, נתיר‬
v. intr. - ‮ניתר, ניתז‬

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