somersault

Everyday

1. A movement where you roll or flip your whole body head over heels, forwards or backwards, on the ground or in the air. tree →
2. To do such a roll or flip. tree →
3. (of a vehicle or object) To turn over completely, end over end. tree →
4. A sudden complete change of opinion or plan. tree →

In the lessons

In PE and gymnastics lessons pupils learn forward and backward somersaults safely on mats. In stories it shows play, excitement or a dramatic fall; «my stomach did somersaults» means feeling very nervous. In the news a car that «somersaulted» rolled over in a crash. Phrases: «do a somersault», «turn a somersault», «forward somersault», «stomach did somersaults».

Examples

• We learnt to do a forward somersault in PE today. tree →
• The gymnast did a double somersault in the air. tree →
• The children were turning somersaults on the grass. tree →
• The diver somersaulted into the pool. tree →
• My stomach did somersaults before the school play. tree →
• The car somersaulted off the road, but nobody was badly hurt. tree →
• Always do somersaults on a soft mat. tree →
• The minister did a somersault and changed his mind completely. tree →
• A few turned somersaults, others walked on their hands with their feet in the air. tree →

Note

Spelling trap: «somer» not «summer»: somersault. Countable: «three somersaults». In many places children also say «forward roll» for a simple somersault on the ground. For safety, tuck your chin in and practise on mats with a teacher.