TUMBLE

I. verb (~d; tumbling) Etymology: Middle English, frequentative of tumben to dance, from Old English tumbian; akin to Old High German tūmōn to reel Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. to fall suddenly and helplessly, to suffer a sudden downfall, overthrow, or defeat, to decline suddenly and sharply (as in price) ; drop , to fall into ruin ; collapse , 2. to perform gymnastic feats in tumbling, to turn end over end in falling or flight, to roll over and over, to and fro, or end over end ; toss , to issue forth hurriedly and confusedly, to come by chance ; s~ , to come to understand ; catch on , transitive verb to cause to ~ (as by pushing or toppling), 2. to throw together in a confused mass, rumple , disorder , to whirl in a tumbling barrel, II. noun Date: 1634 1. a disordered mass of objects or material, a disorderly state, an act or instance of tumbling