tumble

[ˈtʌmbl̩]

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tumbling - tumble

A tumble can be a fall or a tangle, but usually, when people say "I took a tumble" they mean they fell down.

Imagine playing outside on a bike. You might take a tumble if your wheels get stuck in mud and you fall off. Or maybe you're just clumsy and trip over something - that's a tumble too. Sometimes people talk about a tumble dryer, which is just another word for a clothes dryer that helps spin out the water from your clothes.

How common is "tumble"?

Word tumble is considered uncommon in modern English.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.

Definitions

noun

A fall, especially end over end.
Example: I took a tumble down the stairs and broke my tooth.
A disorderly heap.
An act of sexual intercourse.

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verb

To fall end over end; to roll over and over.
To perform gymnastics such as somersaults, rolls, and handsprings.
To drop rapidly.
Example: Share prices tumbled after the revelation about the company's impending failure.
To smoothe and polish, e.g., gemstones or pebbles, by means of a rotating tumbler.
To have sexual intercourse.
To move or rush in a headlong or uncontrolled way.
To muss, to make disorderly; to tousle or rumple.
Example: to tumble a bed
(cryptocurrency) To obscure the audit trail of funds by means of a tumbler.

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Real examples of "tumbling" in context

How Dangerous is a Penny Dropped From a Skyscraper?

Entertainment

This tumbling behavior means pennies don't actually have

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