tumble /tumˈbl/ intransitive verb- To roll, wallow, toss about
- To perform as a dancer or acrobat
- To turn over in flight or fall
- To fall headlong, floundering or revolving
- To collapse, fall in a heap
- To rush confusedly and hastily
- To come by chance (usu with on)
- To comprehend (often with to; informal)
transitive verb- To send tumbling or headlong
- To overthrow
- To bundle from one place to another
- To jumble
- To throw about
- To disorder, rumple
- To tumble-dry
noun- Act of tumbling
- A fall
- A somersault
- A tumbled condition or mass
- An act of sexual intercourse (slang)
ORIGIN: Frequentative from OE tumbian; cf Ger tummeln tumˈbler noun - A person who tumbles
- An acrobat
- A large drinking-glass or tall cup, formerly one that could not stand
- A tumblerful
- A tumbrel
- A toy weighted to rock and right itself
- A pigeon that turns back-somersaults in the air
- A dog that performed antics in catching rabbits (obsolete)
- A revolving barrel or cage
- Part of a lock that holds the bolt in place, until it is moved by the key
- Part of a firearm lock that receives the thrust of the mainspring and forces the hammer forward
- A member of a gang of London ruffians in the early 18c who set women on their heads (historical)
- A tumble-drier (see below)
- A machine consisting of a revolving drum in which (gem)stones are polished (also tumbling barrel or tumbling box)
tumˈblerful noun (pl tumˈblerfuls) As much as will fill a tumbler tumˈbling noun and adjective tumblebug or tumbledung noun (N American) A dung beetle (from its activity of rolling pellets of dung) tumble car or tumble cart noun A vehicle with wheels and axle in one piece tumˈbledown adjective Dilapidated, threatening to fall tumˈble-drīˈer or tumbˈle-dryˈer noun A machine that dries (clothes, etc) by tumbling them in a strong current of hot air (also tumˈbler-drīˈer or tumˈbler-dryˈer) tumˈble-dry transitive verb and intransitive verb To dry (clothes, etc) in a tumble-drier tumˈblehome noun The inward curvature of the upper part of the sides of a ship tumˈbler-switch noun A switch that is turned over to put electric current off or on tumˈbleweed noun A type of plant that snaps off above the root, curls into a ball, and is blown about in the wind tumbling barrel, tumbling box see tumbler above. take a tumble to oneself (informal) To assess one's situation critically and improve it tumble in or home - (of a ship's sides) to incline inward above the extreme breadth
- To fit, as a piece of timber into other work
- To go to bed
tumble over - To toss about carelessly, to upset
- To fall over
tumble up - To get out of bed
- To throw into confusion
- To scurry up on deck
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