tumble

Tumble is a verb meaning to fall, roll, or move in an uncontrolled, end-over-end fashion. It can describe objects that drop and roll down a slope or stairs, as well as a sudden, involuntary fall. The noun form, tumble, can refer to the act itself or to a short, rapid sequence of flips or rolls, such as those performed in gymnastics or acrobatics.

In sports and performance, tumbling describes a series of acrobatic rotations and twists performed on a mat, often as part of floor routines for gymnastics, cheerleading, or dance. These sequences emphasize controlled rotation around the body's axes and are distinguished from free falls by the athlete's technique and landing.

Other common uses include tumble drying, a laundry process in which clothing is repeatedly moved around in a drum to promote drying; tumbleweeds, the seed-bearing parts of certain plants that detach and are carried by the wind, rolling across the ground; and in physics or astronomy, a tumbling motion describes an object rotating chaotically rather than maintaining a fixed orientation.

The motion involved in a tumble results from the interaction of gravity, inertia, friction, and air resistance, and can involve both translational movement and rotational motion.