cartwheel

American  

[kahrt-hweel, -weel] / ˈkɑrtˌʰwil, -ˌwil /

noun

1. the wheel of a cart.

2. an acrobatic feat in which a person starts from a standing position, with arms extended, and wheels the body sideways, landing first on the hands and then on the feet and usually repeating this in a series.

3. Slang. any large coin, especially a U.S. silver dollar.

4. Slang. an amphetamine tablet.

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verb (used without object)

1. to roll forward end over end.

   The skier took a sudden spill and cartwheeled down the slope.

cartwheel British  

/ ˈkɑːtˌwiːl /

noun

1. the wheel of a cart, usually having wooden spokes and metal tyres

2. an acrobatic movement in which the body makes a sideways revolution supported on the hands with arms and legs outstretched

3. slang a large coin, esp the silver dollar

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Other Word Forms

• cartwheeler noun

Etymology

Origin of cartwheel

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; cart, wheel

Example Sentences

I check my phone and find two messages from Dad and my stomach turns its usual cartwheel.

From Literature

By first light there was the shuffling of feet to be heard, and creaking cartwheels and occasionally a neighing horse.

From Literature

“Another great thing about Nashville is there’s no paparazzi. I literally was doing cartwheels down the Walmart aisles,” she joked.

From MarketWatch

“Doing cartwheels does not create value in manufacturing,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

My stomach is doing backflips and somersaults and cartwheels all at the same time.

From Literature