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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

tumble

/ˈtʌmbəl/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does tumble mean?

noun

  1. A fall, especially end over end.
  2. A disorderly heap.
  3. (informal) An act of sexual intercourse.
More meanings (11)

verb

  1. To fall end over end; to roll over and over.
  2. To throw headlong.
  3. To perform gymnastics such as somersaults, rolls, and handsprings.
  4. To drop rapidly.
  5. To smooth and polish (e.g. gemstones or pebbles) by means of a rotating tumbler.
  6. (informal) To have sexual intercourse.
  7. To move or rush in a headlong or uncontrolled way.
  8. To muss, to make disorderly; to tousle or rumple.
  9. To obscure the audit trail of funds by means of a tumbler.
  10. (obsolete, slang) To comprehend; often in tumble to.

proper noun

  1. A village in Llannon community, Carmarthenshire, Wales (OS grid ref SN5411).

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈtʌmbəl/

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

The fetid odours of the swamp draw insects in swarms, and fly-catchers tumble and twist in air in pursuit of them.
Gene Stratton-PorterThe Song of the CardinalProject Gutenberg ebook #533
I was in the rough and tumble of an outdoor world, to take my chance with the rest of its busy number.
Frederick DouglassCollected Articles of Frederick DouglassProject Gutenberg ebook #99
More book examples (3)
To tumble off when your horse is standing still and receive a dead blow from the ground might easily break a limb.
John M. (John Mackenzie) BaconThe Dominion of the Air: The Story of Aerial NavigationProject Gutenberg ebook #861
“I’m afraid you’ve not had much practice in riding,” she ventured to say, as she was helping him up from his fifth tumble.
Lewis CarrollThrough the Looking-GlassProject Gutenberg ebook #12
He cleared the washout, slipped on the wet rock at the farther side, and caught himself just in time to escape a tumble.
Willa CatherThe Song of the LarkProject Gutenberg ebook #44