to tumble

Examples

• All

• After struggling with the project for weeks, I finally tumbled to the solution that had eluded me.

• All the questions start to tumble as to how you prepare, how you recover, what you do while you're there.

• No wonder we never tumbled to each other.

  Fiction book (1998)

• Then, at once, I tumbled into the second marriage, anxious, I suppose, to show I could make something work.

  Fiction book (1990)

• I should've tumbled to you before this.

  The Narrow Margin (1952)

• The heat sapped his energy and sent thoughts of sleep tumbling through his head.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Even as the words tumbled out, he realized his foolishness.

  Fiction book (1996)

• I just don't think you would have tumbled onto Black's game if you had been looking for the obvious.

  Fiction book (2001)

• "As soon as the difficult words tumbled out of my mouth, both old men laughed uproariously at my accent."

  Academic text (1995)

• "Where were the plates hidden?" Nathan burst out, the questions tumbling in his mind.

  Fiction book (1990)

Synonyms

R

to realize

vsto tumble

• US

∞ 1.1

To suddenly understand something you did not know before

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

G

to get it

vsto tumble

• Informal

877 1.1

To understand something after someone explains it

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

F

to fall into place

vsto tumble

41 3.9

To become clear and easy to understand after confusion

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

C

to catch on

vsto tumble

37 3.9

To begin to understand something after a while

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

G

to get a clue

vsto tumble

• Informal

25 7.8

Start to understand what is happening or what to do

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

G

to get wise

vsto tumble

7 7.0

To understand someone tricked you and become more careful

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

L

to latch on

vsto tumble

• Informal

4 4.9

To begin to understand an idea after not getting it at first

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

G

to get onto

vsto tumble

• Informal

1 5.1

Start to understand something after finding it confusing

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

C

to cotton on

vsto tumble

• UK

1 7.5

Start to understand something after not understanding it

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

T

to twig

vsto tumble

• Slang

1 8.9

To suddenly understand something you did not notice before

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

C

to cop on

vsto tumble

• UK

9.9

Begin to understand something you missed before

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

H

to hit by a clue stick

vsto tumble

• Informal

9.9

To suddenly understand something you should have noticed earlier

comes to understand after some initial confusion or difficulty

Antonyms

M

to misunderstand

53 1.8

To think something is true when it is not

Idioms

T

to take a tumble

7 5.4

To fall suddenly, for example by tripping or by losing value

Phrasal Verbs

T

to tumble dry

1 3.2

To use a machine that turns clothes with hot air to remove water

T

to tumble on

• UK

1 7.4

Keep going despite problems and confusion

Compounds

R

rough-and-tumble

• Informal

3 7.3

Energetic and rough, not following usual rules

T

tumble drier

• UK

1 2.6

A machine that dries wet clothes by spinning them in warm air

R

rough-and-tumble

7.8

A noisy, rough fight with little care for rules

T

tumble grass

• US

9.4

A wild grass with thin brush-like seed heads that grows in fields

T

tumble-dryer

• UK

2.6

A machine that spins wet clothes with hot air to remove water

How Clear

to grasp

146 4.1

to understand

∞ 1.0

to tumble

• UK

4 7.4

to realize

• US

∞ 1.1

to notice

∞ 1.0

to miss

518 1.7

Surface Forms

Etymology