tumbler
2
8.4
- noun
- /ˈtʌmblər/
- Specialized
:
perno
- But the locks don't look impossible-- three, maybe five, tumblers.
- tumbler lock
- tumblers align
- key in the tumbler
Examples
-
This is a pin tumbler lock.
-
You just gently tap on the side of the lock, and the tumblers fall into place.
-
I think these drawers work like tumblers in a safe.
-
Pin tumbler locks.
-
He slides the nail into the padlock and manipulates the tumblers.
Fiction book (1996) -
To unlock the door, you need to turn the key so the tumblers align properly.
-
He carefully positioned the tumblers after inserting the key into the lock.
-
The locksmith explained how the tumblers in the mechanism operate to secure the door.
Synonyms
8
7.4
A flat metal piece in a lock that a key lifts to let the lock open
1
7.3
A set of small metal pins inside a lock that a key lines up to open it
A flat metal piece inside a lever lock that a key lifts to open the lock
Compounds
- Specialized
1
7.3
A set of small metal pins inside a lock that a key lines up to open it
- Specialized
A flat metal piece inside a lever lock that a key lifts to open the lock
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Tumbler in a lock takes its name from tumble, 'to move or fall'; a tumbler is a small part that must move into the right position before the lock opens, so it is called a tumbler because it 'tumbles' into place.