tumble
tum|ble /t'ʌmbəl/ (tumbles tumbling tumbled)
1 [VERB] V prep/adv, V prep/adv
If someone or something tumbles somewhere, they fall there with a rolling or bouncing movement.
A small boy tumbled off a third floor fire escape...
He fell to the ground, and the gun tumbled out of his hand.
[N-COUNT] usu sing
Tumble is also a noun.
He injured his ribs in a tumble from his horse.
2 [VERB] V by/from/to amount, V, V-ing
If prices or levels of something are tumbling, they are decreasing rapidly. (JOURNALISM)
House prices have tumbled by almost 30 per cent in real terms since mid-1989...
Share prices continued to tumble today on the Tokyo stock market.
...tumbling inflation.
[N-COUNT] usu sing
Tumble is also a noun.
Oil prices took a tumble yesterday.
3 [VERB] V prep, V-ing
If water tumbles, it flows quickly over an uneven surface.
Waterfalls crash and tumble over rocks.
...the aromatic pines and tumbling streams of the Zonba Plateau.
4 [VERB] V into n
If you say that someone tumbles into a situation or place, you mean that they get into it without being fully in control of themselves or knowing what they are doing. (mainly BRIT)
Many mothers and children tumble into poverty after divorce...
5
see also rough and tumblerough and tum|ble
also rough-and-tumble
1 [N-UNCOUNT] oft the N of n
You can use rough and tumble to refer to a situation in which the people involved try hard to get what they want, and do not worry about upsetting or harming others, and you think this is acceptable and normal.
...the rough-and-tumble of political combat.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
Rough and tumble is physical playing that involves noisy and slightly violent behaviour.
He enjoys rough and tumble play.tumble down
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If a building tumbles down, it collapses or parts of it fall off, usually because it is old and no-one has taken care of it.
The outer walls looked likely to tumble down in a stiff wind...tum|ble dry|er (tumble dryers)
also tumble drier
[N-COUNT]
A tumble dryer is an electric machine which dries washing by turning it over and over and blowing warm air onto it. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use dryer)
1 [VERB] V prep/adv, V prep/adv
If someone or something tumbles somewhere, they fall there with a rolling or bouncing movement.
A small boy tumbled off a third floor fire escape...
He fell to the ground, and the gun tumbled out of his hand.
[N-COUNT] usu sing
Tumble is also a noun.
He injured his ribs in a tumble from his horse.
2 [VERB] V by/from/to amount, V, V-ing
If prices or levels of something are tumbling, they are decreasing rapidly. (JOURNALISM)
House prices have tumbled by almost 30 per cent in real terms since mid-1989...
Share prices continued to tumble today on the Tokyo stock market.
...tumbling inflation.
[N-COUNT] usu sing
Tumble is also a noun.
Oil prices took a tumble yesterday.
3 [VERB] V prep, V-ing
If water tumbles, it flows quickly over an uneven surface.
Waterfalls crash and tumble over rocks.
...the aromatic pines and tumbling streams of the Zonba Plateau.
4 [VERB] V into n
If you say that someone tumbles into a situation or place, you mean that they get into it without being fully in control of themselves or knowing what they are doing. (mainly BRIT)
Many mothers and children tumble into poverty after divorce...
5
see also rough and tumblerough and tum|ble
also rough-and-tumble
1 [N-UNCOUNT] oft the N of n
You can use rough and tumble to refer to a situation in which the people involved try hard to get what they want, and do not worry about upsetting or harming others, and you think this is acceptable and normal.
...the rough-and-tumble of political combat.
2 [N-UNCOUNT]
Rough and tumble is physical playing that involves noisy and slightly violent behaviour.
He enjoys rough and tumble play.tumble down
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
If a building tumbles down, it collapses or parts of it fall off, usually because it is old and no-one has taken care of it.
The outer walls looked likely to tumble down in a stiff wind...tum|ble dry|er (tumble dryers)
also tumble drier
[N-COUNT]
A tumble dryer is an electric machine which dries washing by turning it over and over and blowing warm air onto it. (mainly BRIT; in AM, use dryer)