tumble

verb

• 1 [no object, with adverbial] fall suddenly, clumsily, or headlong:she pitched forward, tumbling down the remaining stairs
• move or rush in a headlong or uncontrolled way:police and dogs tumbled from the vehicle
• [with object] rumple; disarrange: (as adjective tumbled)his tumbled bedclothes

• 2 [no object] perform acrobatic feats, typically handsprings and somersaults in the air.
• (of a breed of pigeon) repeatedly turn over backwards in flight.

• 3fall rapidly in amount or value:property prices tumbled

• 4 [with object] dry (washing) in a tumble dryer: the machine gentle tumbles the clothes in cool air for ten minutes

• 5 [no object] (tumble to) informal understand the meaning or hidden implication of (a situation):she’ll ring again as soon as she tumbles to what she’s done

• 6 [with object] informal have sexual intercourse with: he was tumbling a strange woman

• 7 [with object] clean (castings, gemstones, etc.) in a tumbling barrel.

noun

• 1a sudden or headlong fall:I took a tumble in the nettles
• an untidy or confused arrangement or state:her hair was a tumble of untamed curls

• 2a handspring, somersault in the air, or other acrobatic feat.

• 3a rapid fall in amount or value:a tumble in share prices

• 4 informal an act of sexual intercourse.

• 5US informal a friendly sign of recognition, acknowledgement, or interest:not a soul gave him a tumble