tumbling barrel Syllabification: (tum·bling bar·rel)Pronunciation: /ˈtəmb(ə)liNG/ (also tumbling box)Definition of tumbling barrel noun a revolving device containing an abrasive substance, in which castings, gemstones, or other hard objects can be cleaned and polished by friction. tumbling barrel in other Oxford dictionaries Definition of tumbling barrel in the British & World English dictionary