WordGarden.iotumbler
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /tˈʌmblə/
US
- /ˈtəmblər/
Meanings
Noun
a drinking glass or reusable cup, often with straight sides or a lid
one of the movable parts inside a lock that must align for it to open
a person who performs flips, somersaults, or similar acrobatic moves
More meaningsFewer meanings
a rotating drum or container in a machine, such as a dryer or rock tumbler
Beyond the definition
A tumbler is a word with a few common uses. Most often, it means a sturdy drinking glass, the kind you might use for water, juice, or whiskey. It can also mean an acrobat who does flips and somersaults. In locks, tumblers are the small moving parts inside that must line up before the lock can open. The word is also used for a clothes dryer that turns clothes around as they dry. In many of these meanings, the idea of turning or moving is an important part of the story.
The word "tumbler" has developed several meanings over time, and many of them connect to the idea of turning, rolling, or flipping. In earlier English, a tumbler was an acrobat or performer who did flips and rolls. That sense of movement also helps explain the drinking glass. Long ago, some drinking vessels called tumblers had rounded or pointed bottoms, so they could tip over if they were set down carelessly or before they were empty.
Today, the most common meaning is still the drinking glass, now usually with a flat bottom. But the word also appears in mechanical settings. In a lock, a tumbler is one of the small pins or levers inside that must move into the right position before the lock opens. The word can also refer to a clothes dryer, especially one that dries clothes by turning them around in a drum. There is even a breed of pigeon called a tumbler, named for its rolling or flipping movement in the air. So while the meanings may seem different at first, they are tied together by a shared sense of motion.
Examples
- 1
Bedside drink
She left a tumbler of water on the bedside table.
- 2
Travel cup
I carry my coffee to work in a stainless-steel tumbler.
- 3
Lock parts
He turned the key slowly until the tumblers clicked into place.
- Domain
in locks, tumblers are the small moving parts inside a lock
- 4
Lock type
The old safe had a heavy tumbler lock that was hard to open.
- Phrasetumbler lock
a lock that works with moving parts inside
See also
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- tumblernoun
Forms
- tumblerspluralnoun