From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrumblerum‧ble1 /ˈrʌmbəl/ verb 1 [intransitive]CSSOUND to make a series of long low sounds, especially a long distance away from you We could hear thunder rumbling in the distance.2 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]CS to move slowly along while making a series of long low sounds We watched the tanks rumbling past the window.3 HBH[intransitive] if your stomach rumbles, it makes a noise, especially because you are hungry4 [transitive] British English informalFIND OUT to find out what someone is secretly intending to do How did you rumble them?5 [intransitive, transitive] American English old-fashioned to fight with someone → rumble on→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
rumble• Let us hope the Medical Research Council can rumble a few answers.• In the distance, thunder rumbled across the sky.• When Blunkett rumbled him, he was left with no choice but to resign.• The sound of rebel gunfire rumbled in the hills.• Sonic booms rumble in the valleys at all hours.• Immediately, she felt the floor vibrate as the dome rumbled shut, sealing the chamber.• The two of them whooped, thumped their glasses on the table and rumbled their feet underneath.• They rumbled through dry brush, the Comet an ocher dust storm lashed by branches and spiky shoots.• Loud applause rumbled through the hall.• Lesser equipment can make the walls tremble, the floors rumble, too.rumblerumble2 noun [singular] CSSOUNDa series of long low soundsrumble of the low rumble of traffic in the distance the distant rumble of gunfire► see thesaurus at soundExamples from the Corpus
rumble• What began as a rumble became a powerful roar as the volcano erupted.• This drew a rumble of protest, as Tyler had expected it would.• Are deeper rumbles in the offing?• I sat there contented a minute that night, quite lost in the maddening rumble.• The arena was almost full and it had all the makings of a full scale rumble.• No sound except the rumble of an invisible train clattering through the night.• Why he never even heard the rumbles.• Soon the tunnels echoed to the rumble of many booted feet.• The rumble of the train going by woke me up.• He turned the engine over, the warm rumble of his Baby rejuvenating him.distant rumble• A new sound was growing in the tunnel, a distant rumble.• There was a distant rumbling and crashing, which was intensified and reflected by the mountain slopes.• There was a long, distant rumble.• I could faintly hear the distant rumble of commuter traffic from my bedroom - a reminder of what I had temporarily escaped.• The only noise was the distant rumble of traffic on the coastal road.Origin rumble1 (1300-1400) Probably from early Dutch rommelen, from the sound 