rumble Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a loud low dull continuous noise
    rumbling; grumble; grumbling.
    • they heard the rumbling of thunder
  2. noun a servant's seat (or luggage compartment) in the rear of a carriage
  3. noun a fight between rival gangs of adolescents
    gang fight.
  4. verb make a low noise
    grumble.
    • rumbling thunder
  5. verb to utter or emit low dull rumbling sounds
    growl; grumble.
    • he grumbled a rude response
    • Stones grumbled down the cliff

WordNet


Rum"ble intransitive verb
Etymology
OE. romblen, akin to D. rommeln, G. rumpeln, Dan. rumle; cf. Icel. rumja to roar.
Definitions
  1. To make a low, heavy, continued sound; as, the thunder rumbles at a distance.
    In the mean while the skies 'gan rumble sore. Surrey.
    The people cried and rombled up and down. Chaucer.
  2. To murmur; to ripple.
    To rumble gently down with murmur soft. Spenser.
    3. to engage in a fight, usu. between street gangs.
Rum"ble noun
Definitions
  1. A noisy report; rumor. Obs.
    Delighting ever in rumble that is new. Chaucer.
  2. A low, heavy, continuous sound like that made by heavy wagons or the reverberation of thunder; a confused noise; as, the rumble of a railboard train.
    Clamor and rumble, and ringing and clatter. tennyson.
    Merged in the rumble of awakening day. H. James.
  3. A seat for servants, behind the body of a carriage.
    Kit, well wrapped, . . . was in the rumble behind. Dickens.
  4. A rotating cask or box in which small articles are smoothed or poliched by friction against each other.
Rum"ble transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To cause to pass through a rumble, or shaking machine. See Rumble, n., 4.

Webster 1913