noun / verb

rumble

RUM-bul/ˈrʌmbl/

A low, deep, continuous sound or the act of making it.

The heavy roller rumbles past the window and vibrates the nearby glass.

A heavy diesel road roller rumbles past an open ground-floor window; its massive turning drum, vibrating water in a nearby glass, and a resident's listening reaction reinforce the low, deep sound rather than merely showing transport.

Etymology

The word imitates a deep, rolling noise and is probably related to other northern European verbs for rumbling or roaring. Its sound-making sense is therefore more securely explained than its exact ancestry.

In context

MooLer262:17

crocodiles make like a Bellow don't they just could they kind of Rumble

EFAP #229 - A complete breakdown of Jurassic Park with Robert Meyer Burnett

More examples

A distant rumble came from the hills.
Thunder rumbled all night.
The engine is rumbling beneath the floor.

Forms

rumble · rumbles · rumbled · rumbling

Similar words

drone: Drone suggests a steadier unvarying sound.
growl: Growl often sounds rougher and can imply menace.