v. & n.
--v.
1. intr. & tr. fall or cause to fall suddenly, clumsily, or headlong.
2 intr. fall rapidly in amount etc. (prices tumbled).
3 intr. (often foll. by about, around) roll or toss erratically or helplessly to and fro.
4 intr. move or rush in a headlong or blundering manner (the children tumbled out of the car).
5 intr. (often foll. by to) colloq. grasp the meaning or hidden implication of an idea, circumstance, etc. (they quickly tumbled to our intentions).
6 tr. overturn; fling or push roughly or carelessly.
7 intr. perform acrobatic feats, esp. somersaults.
8 tr. rumple or disarrange; pull about; disorder.
9 tr. dry (washing) in a tumble-drier.
10 tr. clean (castings, gemstones, etc.) in a tumbling-barrel.
11 intr. (of a pigeon) turn over backwards in flight.
--n.
1. a sudden or headlong fall.
2 a somersault or other acrobatic feat.
3 an untidy or confused state.
Phrases and idioms:
tumble-drier n. a machine for drying washing in a heated rotating drum. tumble-dry v.tr. & intr. (-dries, -dried) dry in a tumble-drier. tumbling-barrel (or -box etc.) a revolving device containing an abrasive substance, in which castings, gemstones, etc., are cleaned by friction. tumbling-bay
1. the outfall of a river, reservoir, etc.
2 a pool into which this flows.
Etymology: ME tumbel f. MLG tummelen, OHG tumalon frequent. of tumon: cf. OE tumbian dance