tumbler

[ tuhm-bler ]

noun

1. a person who performs leaps, somersaults, and other bodily feats.
2. (in a lock) any locking or checking part that, when lifted or released by the action of a key or the like, allows the bolt to move.
3. a stemless drinking glass having a flat, often thick bottom.
4. (in a gunlock) a leverlike piece that by the action of a spring forces the hammer forward when released by the trigger.
5. Machinery.
   1. a part moving a gear into place in a selective transmission.
   2. a single cog or cam on a rotating shaft, transmitting motion to a part with which it engages.
6. a tumbling box or barrel.
7. a person who operates a tumbling box or barrel.
8. one of a breed of dogs resembling a small greyhound, used formerly in hunting rabbits.
9. Also called roller. one of a breed of domestic pigeons noted for the habit of tumbling backward in flight.
10. a toy, usually representing a fat, squatting figure, that is weighted and rounded at the bottom so as to rock when touched.
11. a tumbrel or tumble cart.

tumbler

/ ˈtʌmblə /

noun

1. 1. a flat-bottomed drinking glass with no handle or stem. Originally, a tumbler had a round or pointed base and so could not stand upright
   2. Also calledtumblerful the contents or quantity such a glass holds
2. a person, esp a professional entertainer, who performs somersaults and other acrobatic feats
3. another name for tumble dryer
4. Also calledtumbling box a pivoted box or drum rotated so that the contents (usually inferior gemstones) tumble about and become smooth and polished
5. the part of a lock that retains or releases the bolt and is moved by the action of a key
6. a lever in a gunlock that receives the action of the mainspring when the trigger is pressed and thus forces the hammer forwards
7. 1. a part that moves a gear in a train of gears into and out of engagement
   2. a single cog or cam that transmits motion to the part with which it engages
8. a toy, often a doll, that is so weighted that it rocks when touched
9. often capital a breed of domestic pigeon kept for exhibition or flying. The performing varieties execute backward somersaults in flight

Word History and Origins

Origin of tumbler¹

1300–50; Middle English: acrobat; tumble, -er ¹. Compare Low German tümeler drinking-cup, kind of pigeon

Example Sentences

The release, which dropped on Aug. 13, promised 100 lucky fans the limited-edition Stanley x Bajaversary tumbler.

From Salon

The performers are stationed at three tables, each equipped with a bottle of whiskey and a tumbler.

From New York Times

On the one hand, their exalted status in society is unquestioned: Politicians seek their endorsements, polls show Americans trust them more than most other classes of workers, and once a year the Dodgers give paying fans a tumbler or sweater emblazoned with an apple in their honor.

From Los Angeles Times

The deflated grippers can conformably hold on to a tumbler without dropping it, even when a coin is dropped inside.

From Science Daily

She received the popular Stanley tumbler as a gift from her younger sister and did not realize the cachet it would have.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• beaker
• canteen
• carafe
• chalice
• decanter
• jug
• urn
• vial