tumble

UK: /ˈtʌmb^əl/ US: /ˈtʌmbəl/ ,(tum′bəl)

Inflections of 'tumble' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

tumbles

v 3rd person singular

tumbling

v pres p

tumbled

v past

tumbled

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

tum•ble /ˈtʌmbəl/   v., -bled, -bling, n. 
v. 

1. to (cause to) fall helplessly down;
   stumble: [no object]
   She tumbled down the stairs.
   [~ + object]
   She tumbled the boxes down the stairs.
2. to roll end over end, or to flow over and down: [no object]
   The water tumbled down the waterfall.
   [~ + object]
   The army tumbled rocks on top of the invaders.
3. to fall or decline rapidly;
   drop:
   [no object] Prices on the stock exchange tumbled.
4. [no object] to perform gymnastic feats.
5. to (cause to) fall suddenly from a position of authority;
   (cause to) be toppled: [no object]
   to tumble from power.
   [~ + object]
   The revolutionaries tumbled the dictator from power.
6. to (cause to) fall in ruins;
   (cause to) collapse: [no object]
   During the earthquake, buildings tumbled.
   [~ + object]
   The earthquake tumbled bridges.
7. to roll about by turning one way and another: [no object]
   The clothes tumbled in the dryer.
   [~ + object]
   tumbled the clothes dry on low heat.
8. to go, come, etc., in a fast, disorganized way:
   [no object] Tourists came tumbling out of the bus.

n. [countable]

9. an act of tumbling.
10. a gymnastic feat.
11. an accidental fall;
    spill.
12. a drop in value, as of stocks.
13. a fall from a position of power:
    the tyrant's long-awaited tumble from power.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

tum•ble  (tum′bəl), v., -bled, -bling, n. 
v.i. 

1. to fall helplessly down, end over end, as by losing one's footing, support, or equilibrium;
   plunge headlong:
   to tumble down the stairs.
2. to roll end over end, as in falling:
   The stones tumbled down the hill.
3. to fall or decline rapidly;
   drop:
   Prices on the stock market tumbled today.
4. to perform gymnastic feats of skill and agility, as leaps or somersaults.
5. to fall suddenly from a position of power or authority;
   suffer overthrow:
   As one dictator tumbles, another is rising to take his place.
6. to fall in ruins, as from age or decay;
   collapse;
   topple:
   The walls of the old mansion tumbled down upon the intruders.
7. to roll about by turning one way and another;
   pitch about;
   toss.
8. to stumble or fall (usually fol. by over):
   to tumble over a sled.
9. to go, come, get, etc., in a hasty and confused way:
   The people tumbled out of the theater. He tumbled hurriedly into his clothes.
10. Informal Terms to understand or become aware of some fact or circumstance (often fol. by to):
    He finally tumbled to what they were doing.
11. Rocketry (of a missile) to rotate without control end over end.

v.t. 

12. to cause to fall or roll end over end;
    throw over or down.
13. to throw or toss about;
    cause disarray, as in handling or searching.
14. to put in a disordered or rumpled condition.
15. to throw, cast, put, send, etc., in a precipitate, hasty, or rough manner.
16. to cause to fall from a position of authority or power;
    overthrow;
    topple:
    They tumbled him from his throne.
17. to cause to fall or collapse in ruins:
    The wreckers tumbled the walls of the building.
18. Mechanical Engineering to subject to the action of a tumbling box.

n. 

19. an act of tumbling or falling.
20. a gymnastic or acrobatic feat.
21. an accidental fall;
    spill.
22. a drop in value, as of stocks.
23. a fall from a position of power or authority:
    The great director took a tumble when he was replaced by a newcomer.
24. a response indicating interest, affection, etc.:
    She wouldn't give me a tumble.
25. tumbled condition;
    disorder or confusion.
26. a confused heap:
    a tumble of papers, ashes, pens, and keys on the desk.
27. Dialect Terms [Chiefly New Eng.] a haycock.
28. British Terms take a tumble to, [Australian Slang.] to come to understand.

• Gmc); see -le
• OLG); compare French tomber to fall
• Middle English tum(b)len to dance in acrobatic style (cognate with Dutch tuimelen, Low German tummeln), frequentative of Middle English tomben, Old English tumbian, (cognate with Old Norse tumba, akin to Old High German tūmōn to reel (perh. 1250–1300

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

tumble / ˈtʌmb^əl/ verb

1. to fall or cause to fall, esp awkwardly, precipitately, or violently
2. (intransitive) usually followed by about: to roll or twist, esp in playing
3. (intransitive) to perform leaps, somersaults, etc
4. to go or move in a heedless or hasty way
5. (transitive) to polish (gemstones) in a tumbler
6. (transitive) to disturb, rumple, or toss around

noun

1. the act or an instance of tumbling
2. a fall or toss
3. an acrobatic feat, esp a somersault
4. a decrease in value, number, etc: stock markets have taken a tumble
5. a state of confusion
6. a confused heap or pile

Etymology: Old English tumbian, from Old French tomber; related to Old High German tūmōn to turn