tumble

tumble
/tum"beuhl/, v., tumbled, tumbling, n.
v.i.
1. to fall helplessly down, end over end, as by losing one's footing, support, or equilibrium; plunge headlong: to tumble down the stairs.
2. to roll end over end, as in falling: The stones tumbled down the hill.
3. to fall or decline rapidly; drop: Prices on the stock market tumbled today.
4. to perform gymnastic feats of skill and agility, as leaps or somersaults.
5. to fall suddenly from a position of power or authority; suffer overthrow: As one dictator tumbles, another is rising to take his place.
6. to fall in ruins, as from age or decay; collapse; topple: The walls of the old mansion tumbled down upon the intruders.
7. to roll about by turning one way and another; pitch about; toss.
8. to stumble or fall (usually fol. by over): to tumble over a sled.
9. to go, come, get, etc., in a hasty and confused way: The people tumbled out of the theater. He tumbled hurriedly into his clothes.
10. Informal. to understand or become aware of some fact or circumstance (often fol. by to): He finally tumbled to what they were doing.
11. Rocketry. (of a missile) to rotate without control end over end.
v.t.
12. to cause to fall or roll end over end; throw over or down.
13. to throw or toss about; cause disarray, as in handling or searching.
14. to put in a disordered or rumpled condition.
15. to throw, cast, put, send, etc., in a precipitate, hasty, or rough manner.
16. to cause to fall from a position of authority or power; overthrow; topple: They tumbled him from his throne.
17. to cause to fall or collapse in ruins: The wreckers tumbled the walls of the building.
18. to subject to the action of a tumbling box.
n.
19. an act of tumbling or falling.
20. a gymnastic or acrobatic feat.
21. an accidental fall; spill.
22. a drop in value, as of stocks.
23. a fall from a position of power or authority: The great director took a tumble when he was replaced by a newcomer.
24. a response indicating interest, affection, etc.: She wouldn't give me a tumble.
25. tumbled condition; disorder or confusion.
26. a confused heap: a tumble of papers, ashes, pens, and keys on the desk.
27. Chiefly New Eng. a haycock.
28. take a tumble to, Australian Slang. to come to understand.
[1250-1300; ME tum(b)len to dance in acrobatic style (c. D tuimelen, LG tummeln), freq. of ME tomben, OE tumbian, (c. ON tumba, akin to OHG tumon to reel (perh. < OLG); cf. F tomber to fall < Gmc); see -LE]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • tumble — tum‧ble [ˈtʌmbl] verb [intransitive] JOURNALISM if prices, figures etc tumble, they go down suddenly and by a large amount: • Stock market prices have tumbled over the past week. tumble noun [countable usually singular] : • The announcement… …   Financial and business terms

  • tumble — [tum′bəl] vi. tumbled, tumbling [ME tumblen, freq. of tumben < OE tumbian, to fall, jump, dance; akin to Ger tummeln, taumeln < OHG * tumalon, freq. of tumon, to turn < IE base * dheu , to be turbid > DULL] 1. to do somersaults,… …   English World dictionary

  • Tumble — Tum ble, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Tumbled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Tumbling}.] [OE. tumblen, AS. tumbian to turn heels over head, to dance violently; akin to D. tuimelen to fall, Sw. tumla, Dan. tumle, Icel. tumba; and cf. G. taumeln to reel, to stagger.]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tumble — Tum ble, v. t. 1. To turn over; to turn or throw about, as for examination or search; to roll or move in a rough, coarse, or unceremonious manner; to throw down or headlong; to precipitate; sometimes with over, about, etc.; as, to tumble books or …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tumble — (v.) c.1300, to perform as an acrobat, also to fall down, perhaps from a frequentative form of O.E. tumbian dance about, of unknown origin. Related to M.L.G. tummelen to turn, dance, Du. tuimelen to tumble, O.H.G. tumon, Ger. taumeln to turn,… …   Etymology dictionary

  • tumble — ► VERB 1) fall suddenly, clumsily, or headlong. 2) move in a headlong manner. 3) decrease rapidly in amount or value. 4) rumple; disarrange. 5) (tumble to) informal come to understand; realize. ► NOUN 1) …   English terms dictionary

  • tumble in — ● tumble …   Useful english dictionary

  • Tumble — Tum ble, n. Act of tumbling, or rolling over; a fall. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tumble — index agitate (shake up), disorganize, subvert, upset Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • tumble — [v] fall or make fall awkwardly bowl down, bring down, descend, dip, disarrange, disarray, disorder, disturb, do a pratfall, down, drop, fall headlong*, flatten, floor, flop, go belly up*, go down, hit the dirt*, jumble, keel, keel over, knock… …   New thesaurus

  • tumble — I n. (colloq.) fall 1) to take a tumble 2) a bad, nasty tumble (she took a nasty tumble) 3) a tumble from sign of recognition 4) to give smb. a tumble (they wouldn t give us a tumble) II v. 1) (d; intr.) to tumble into (to tumble into bed) 2) (d; …   Combinatory dictionary

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