tumble

Universal Words verb, noun verb 1 [+adv./prep.] to fall downwards, often hitting the ground several times, but usually without serious injury; to make sb/sth fall in this way: [V] He slipped and tumbled down the stairs. [also VN] 2 [V] ~ (down) to fall suddenly and in a dramatic way: The scaffolding came tumbling down. * (figurative) World records tumbled at the last Olympics. seealsoTUMBLEDOWN 3 [V] to fall rapidly in value or amount: The price of oil is still tumbling. 4 [V+adv./prep.] to move or fall somewhere in a relaxed, UNCONTROLLED, or noisy way: I undressed and tumbled into bed. * A group of noisy children tumbled out of the bus. * The water tumbled over the rocks. * Thick golden curls tumbled down over her shoulders. * (figurative) Her words came tumbling out. PHRASALVERBS tumble to sth/sb (BrE, informal) to suddenly understand sth or be aware of sth: When did she tumble to what was going on? noun 1 [C,usually sing.] a sudden fall: The jockey took a nasty tumble at the third fence. * Share prices took a sharp tumble following news of the merger. seealsoROUGHANDTUMBLE 2 [sing.] ~ (of sth) an untidy group of things: a tumble of blond curls