WordWeb Online

1. The gymnastic moves of an acrobat
   - acrobatics

1. Fall down, as if collapsing
   "The tower of the World Trade Center tumbled after the plane hit it";
   - topple
    
2. Fall suddenly and sharply
   "Prices tumbled after the devaluation of the currency"
    
3. Cause to topple or tumble by pushing
   - topple, tip
    
4. Roll over and over, back and forth
    
5. Move in an irregular circular pattern
   "The clothes tumbled in the dryer";
   - whirl, whirl around
    
6. Fall apart
   "the building tumbled after the explosion";
   - crumble, crumple, break down, collapse
    
7. Throw together in a confused mass
   "They tumbled the teams with no apparent pattern"
    
8. [informal] Understand or realize, usually after some time or initial difficulty
   - catch on [informal], get wise [informal], get onto, latch on [informal], cotton on [informal], twig [Brit, informal], get it, cop on [Brit, informal]
    
9. Put clothes in a tumbling barrel, where they are whirled about in hot air, usually with the purpose of drying
   "Wash in warm water and tumble dry"
    
10. Suffer a sudden downfall, overthrow, or defeat
     
11. Do gymnastics, roll and turn skilfully

Derived forms: tumblings

Type of: apprehend, change integrity, come down, compass, comprehend, decline, descend, dig [informal], drop, exercise, fall, force, get the picture, go down, grasp, grok [N. Amer, informal], gymnastic exercise, gymnastics, jumble, move, push, roll over, savvy, scramble, sink, throw together, toss, work out, worsen

Encyclopedia: Tumbling