rebound

rebound, redound

1. Rebound is pronounced with the stress on the first syllable as a noun and with the stress on the second syllable as a verb.

2. The image with the verb rebound is of something bouncing back, and with redound it is of a tide or wave flooding back (from Latin unda ‘wave’). When circumstances rebound on someone they have a harmful effect on the person or people responsible for them:

• The allegation may rebound on the party making it —J. Kendall, 1992.

In some uses, however, the rebounding can be directed elsewhere:

• The strategy of encouraging, supporting and protecting deliberate non-payers is deeply flawed, as it will rebound on the most vulnerable —Marxism Today, 1990.

When a circumstance redounds to someone's advantage or credit, it contributes to it:

• Each piece of field research aims at achieving a ‘scoop’ which will redound to the anthropologist's credit —I. M. Lewis, 1992

• Some of these [ideas] have implications for the growth of tourism, which will redound to the benefit of all states —Montserrat Reporter, 2004 [OEC].

Contrary examples of both words occur occasionally (

• ☒ The moderate majority of Turks must realise it will rebound to their credit if they show magnanimity —Independent on Sunday, 2006)

but the distinction between the notions of harm (rebound on) and advantage (redound to) generally holds good and is worth observing.