tumbler

[Eng. tumbl (e), v.; -er.] I. Ordinary Language: 1. One who tumbles; one who performs the tricks of a mountebank, such as turning somersaults, walking on the hands, or the like. "An uncouth feat exhibit, and are gone, Heels over head, like tumblers on a stage." Words worth: Excursion, bk. viii. 2. A drinking-gla of a cylindrical form, or of the form of the frustum of an inverted cone; so called, because formerly, from its base ending in a point, it could not be set down until completely empty of liquor. "Mr. Stiggins, walking softly acro the room to a well-remembered shelf in one corner, took down a tum bler , and with great deliberation put four lumps of sugar in it." Dickens : Pickwick , ch. lii. 3. The contents of such a gla . 4. A variety of pigeon, so called from its habit of tumbling or turning over in flight. It is a short bodied pigeon, of a plain color, black, blue, or white. "The little tumbler flashing downward in the sunlight is something to watch and admire."-London Daily Telegraph. *5. A variety of dog, so called from its habit of tumbling before it attacks its prey. It was formerly employed for catching rabbits. "The tumbler and lurcher ought to be reckoned by themselves."-Swan: Speculum Mundi , ch. ix., § 1. *6. A tumbrel (q. v.). 7. One of the religious sect known as German Baptists or Dunkers (q. v.). "They are also called Tumblers from their mode of baptism, which is by putting the person whilst kneeling head first under water."- Ripley & Dana: Amer. Cyclop ., vi. 316. 8. A popular name for the larvæ of the Culicide. "They are called tumblers from the manner in which they roll over and over in the water by means of the fin-like paddles at the end of the tail."- Ripley & Dana, Amer. Cyclop ., viii. 51. *9. ( Pl .): A band of roysterers in the early part of the eighteenth century, who delighted in offering insults to unprotected women. "A third sort are the tumblers , whose office it is to set women on their heads."- Steele . Spectator , No. 324. II. Technically : *tum-ble-ster, s. [Eng. tumble ; suff -ster.] A female tumbler. tum'-bling, *tom-blinge, *tum-bel-ynge, pr. par.ora. [TUMBLE, v.]