rumbling

rumbling — noun

1. early signs that a group of people is becoming angry or dissatisfied about somet

1.名詞B2
釋義

early signs that a group of people is becoming angry or dissatisfied about something — often used in political, workplace, or social contexts

例句

Ayesha heard rumblings of discontent among the office staff about the new shift schedule.

collocation: rumblings of discontent

The prime minister tried to ignore the rumblings of protest from the rural farming communities.

同義詞
  • murmurs

    softer, quieter signs of unrest, often used metaphorically

  • stirrings

    suggests the very first, still weak signs of a reaction

  • whispers

    implies the discontent is expressed quietly or secretly

反義詞
  • calm

    absence of any sign of unrest

  • acceptance

    people are satisfied, not discontented

文法句型

rumblings of [discontent/anger/protest]

用法筆記

Almost always used in the plural form 'rumblings' in this sense. The singular form is rare and sounds unnatural.

常見錯誤

❌There was a rumbling of discontent from the workers.
✅There were rumblings of discontent from the workers.
💡This sense is almost never used in the singular.

2. a long, deep, continuous sound such as the noise made by thunder, a heavy vehicl

2.名詞B1
釋義

a long, deep, continuous sound such as the noise made by thunder, a heavy vehicle, an earthquake, or machinery in the distance

例句

The deep rumbling of thunder woke Mira up at three in the morning.

collocation: rumbling of thunder

Femi could hear the rumbling of a heavy truck coming down the gravel road.

collocation: rumbling of a truck

同義詞
  • rumble

    identical meaning but used as a count noun for a single sound event

  • growl

    a lower, more threatening rumbling sound, often of an animal or engine

  • roar

    louder and more intense than a rumbling

  • grumbling

    a repeated, irregular rumbling, often of stomach or thunder

反義詞

文法句型

the rumbling of [source]

a rumbling of [source]

用法筆記

This sense can be countable ('a rumbling') when referring to a single event, or uncountable ('the rumbling of thunder') when describing a continuous or general sound. The source of the sound is typically introduced with 'of'.

常見錯誤

❌I heard the rumbling of a thunder.
✅I heard the rumbling of thunder.
💡'Thunder' is an uncountable noun and does not take an article here.

3. pieces of news or information that are being discussed by people but have not be

3.名詞B2
釋義

pieces of news or information that are being discussed by people but have not been officially confirmed or proven to be true

例句

There were persistent rumblings about a possible merger between the two tech companies.

collocation: rumblings about [topic]

Sari heard rumblings that the local bookstore was going to close down at the end of the year.

pattern: rumblings that [clause]

同義詞
  • rumors

    more direct and common; 'rumblings' is more indirect and suggests underground talk

  • whispers

    suggests the talk is secret or restricted to a small group

  • speculation

    more neutral; focuses on the guessing aspect rather than the talking aspect

  • gossip

    more personal and less serious in tone

反義詞
  • confirmation

    official verification that makes rumblings unnecessary

  • fact

    something known to be true, not speculated

文法句型

rumblings about [topic]

rumblings that [clause]

用法筆記

Like sense 1, almost always used in the plural form 'rumblings'. This sense differs from sense 1 in that it focuses on unconfirmed information being discussed, not on signs of anger or opposition.

常見錯誤

❌The rumblings about the takeover were true.
✅The rumblings about the takeover turned out to be true.
💡'Rumblings' by definition are unverified, so saying they 'were true' contradicts the meaning.