ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dead cat bounce

idiom
Meaning

A temporary recovery in the price of a financial instrument which has fallen rapidly and is expected to fall further in the long run.


Origin

disputed origin

From the idea that a cat dropped from a height might bounce without this indicating any actual life after hitting the ground.

Examples
SIMPLE

The stock price rose slightly, but it was just a dead cat bounce.

CONTEXTUAL

Investors were fooled by the brief price increase, failing to realize it was merely a dead cat bounce before the market crashed again.

COMPLEX

Market analysts cautioned that the sudden recovery in share prices was likely a dead cat bounce, as the underlying economic fundamentals remained fundamentally broken.

Anchors to
Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    beat a dead horse

    To persist or continue far beyond any purpose, interest or reason.

  2. 02

    bell the cat

    To undertake a dangerous action in the service of a group.

  3. 03

    bounce back

    To recover from a negative situation without seemingly any damage.

  4. 04

    bounce off

    To test (ideas) on someone.

  5. 05

    bounce off the walls

    To be overly active relative to the enclosed space in which one is.

  6. 06

    brown bread

    [Cockney slang]dead

  7. 07

    cat and dog life

    An unhappy married life marked by arguments and disagreements.

  8. 08

    cat got someone's tongue

    Why is someone not saying anything?

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