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Rumble vs Tumble - What's the difference?

rumble | tumble |

In transitive terms the difference between rumble and tumble

is that rumble is to cause to pass through a rumble, or polishing machine while tumble is to smooth and polish a rough surface on relatively small parts.

As nouns the difference between rumble and tumble

is that rumble is a low, heavy, continuous sound, such as that of thunder or a hungry stomach while tumble is a fall.

As verbs the difference between rumble and tumble

is that rumble is to make a low, heavy, continuous sound while tumble is to fall end over end.

As an interjection rumble

is an onomatopoeia describing a rumbling noise.

rumble

English

Alternative forms

* (dialectal)

Interjection

(en interjection)
  • An onomatopoeia describing a rumbling noise
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • A low, heavy, continuous sound, such as that of thunder or a hungry stomach.
  • The rumble from passing trucks made it hard to sleep at night.
  • (slang) A street fight or brawl.
  • A rotating cask or box in which small articles are smoothed or polished by friction against each other.
  • (dated) A seat for servants, behind the body of a carriage.
  • * Charles Dickens
  • Kit, well wrapped, was in the rumble behind.

    Verb

    (en-verb)
  • To make a low, heavy, continuous sound.
  • If I don't eat, my stomach will rumble .
    I could hear the thunder rumbling in the distance.
  • To discover deceitful or underhanded behaviour.
  • The police is going to rumble your hideout.
  • To move while making a rumbling noise.
  • The truck rumbled over the rough road.
  • (slang) To fight; to brawl.
  • To cause to pass through a rumble, or polishing machine.
  • (obsolete) To murmur; to ripple.
  • * Spenser
  • to rumble gently down with murmur soft

    Anagrams

    * *

    tumble

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A fall.
  • I took a tumble down the stairs and broke my tooth.
  • An act of sexual intercourse.
  • * John Betjeman, Group Life: Letchworth
  • Wouldn't it be jolly now, / To take our Aertex panters off / And have a jolly tumble in / The jolly, jolly sun?
  • * 1979 , Martine, Sexual Astrology (page 219)
  • When you've just had a tumble between the sheets and are feeling rumpled and lazy, she may want to get up so she can make the bed.

    Derived terms

    * rough and tumble * take a tumble * tumble dryer * tumbler * give a tumble

    Verb

    (tumbl)
  • (lb) To fall end over end.
  • *(Robert South) (1634–1716)
  • *:He who tumbles from a tower surely has a greater blow than he who slides from a molehill.
  • *
  • *:“Heavens!” exclaimed Nina, “the blue-stocking and the fogy!—and yours are'' pale blue, Eileen!—you’re about as self-conscious as Drina—slumping there with your hair tumbling ''à la Mérode! Oh, it's very picturesque, of course, but a straight spine and good grooming is better.”
  • To perform gymnastics such as somersaults, rolls, and handsprings.
  • :(Rowe)
  • To roll over and over.
  • *1908 , (Kenneth Grahame), (The Wind in the Willows)
  • *:The two animals tumbled over each other in their eagerness to get inside, and heard the door shut behind them with great joy and relief.
  • (lb) To have sexual intercourse.
  • (lb) To smooth and polish a rough surface on relatively small parts.
  • To muss, to make disorderly; to tousle or rumple.
  • :
  • Derived terms

    * tumble to