Noun: tumbling túm-b(u-)ling
- The gymnastic moves of an acrobat
"The circus performer's tumbling act was breathtaking";
- acrobatics
- Fall down, as if collapsing
"The tower of the World Trade Center tumbled after the plane hit it";
- topple
- Fall suddenly and sharply
"Prices tumbled after the devaluation of the currency"
- Roll over and over, back and forth
"The gymnast tumbled across the mat"
- Move in an irregular circular pattern
"The clothes tumbled in the dryer";
- whirl, whirl around
- Cause to topple or tumble by pushing
"The earthquake tumbled many houses";
- topple, tip
- Fall apart
"the building tumbled after the explosion";
- crumble, crumple, break down, collapse
- Suffer a sudden downfall, overthrow, or defeat
"The once-mighty empire tumbled into ruin"; "His career tumbled after the scandal broke"
- 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"
- Do gymnastics, roll and turn skilfully
"The acrobats tumbled across the stage in an impressive display"
- Throw together in a confused mass
"They tumbled the teams with no apparent pattern"
- [informal] Understand or realize, usually after some time or initial difficulty
"Finally, she tumbled to what he was trying to say";
- catch on [informal], get wise [informal], get onto, latch on [informal], cotton on [informal], twig [Brit, informal], get it [informal], cop on [Brit, informal]
Derived forms: tumblings
Type of: apprehend, change integrity, come down, compass, comprehend, decline, descend, dig [informal], drop, exercise, force, get the picture [informal], go down, grasp, grok [N. Amer, informal], gymnastic exercise, gymnastics, jumble, move, push, roll over, savvy, scramble, throw together, toss, work out, worsen
Encyclopedia: Tumbling
Tumble, Carmarthenshire