tumbling
Gymnastic floor acrobatics
Tumbling is the act of falling, rolling, or performing acrobatic movements—somersaults, flips, cartwheels.
Gymnasts practice tumbling on mats.
Outside athletics, tumbling suggests uncontrolled falling or rapid decline: Stock prices came tumbling down.
A tumbling stream moves with churning motion over rocks.
Hair that tumbles falls loosely and abundantly.
Full-body forward rotation
- cartwheelLateral body rotation
- backflipRearward aerial tumble
- handstandInverted balance on palms
- flipQuick turning motion
aerial · roundoff · tuck · pike · layout · twist · dismount · roll
Rapid rotation around axis
- whirlRotate very quickly
- twistRotating motion or surprise
- revolveTurn around center
- gyrateMove in spirals
roll · spiral · rotating · churning · swirl · spinning · turning · rolling
Lose footing momentarily
- tripPlanned travel somewhere
- toppleCause to fall
- crashSudden violent impact
- spillAccidental liquid release
plunge · collapse · slip · lurch · pitch · nosedive · head-over-heels · sprawl
Flat floor covering
- springboardFlexible platform for jumping
- vaultSecure storage chamber
- wedgeTapered splitting tool
- inclineAngled rising surface
somersault
Full-body forward rotation
flip · aerial · roundoff · tuck · pike · layout · twist · dismount · roll · handspring
spin
Rapid rotation around axis
gyrate · roll · spiral · rotating · churning · swirl · spinning · turning · rolling · twisting
stumble
Lose footing momentarily
spill · plunge · collapse · slip · lurch · pitch · nosedive · head-over-heels · sprawl · pratfall
mat
Flat floor covering
- springboardFlexible platform for jumping
- vaultSecure storage chamber
- wedgeTapered splitting tool
waterfall
Descending river over precipice
cascade · rushing · churning · boulders · rocks · downstream · current · plunging · spillway · cataract
frolic
Lighthearted playful movement
roughhouse · wrestle · horseplay · antics · tussle · scuffle · rollick · frisky · puppies · kittens
- floor exercisesplank, planks, crunches, push-ups, sit-ups
- slapstickpratfall, banana peel, pie throw, falling down, custard pie
- spintopspin, backspin, sidespin, clockwise, counterclockwise
- out of controlwild, chaotic, unruly, unchecked, runaway
- cheerleadingcheerleader, cheerleaders, cheer squad, spirit squad, pom-poms
- Victorian entertainmentvaudeville, music hall, minstrel show, pantomime, melodrama
- tumbling matCushioned gymnastics flooring
- rock tumblingSmoothing stones by rotation