roll

verb

1》 move by turning over and over on an axis: the car rolled down into a ditch.

    ↘turn over to face a different direction.

    ↘(of a moving ship, aircraft, or vehicle) sway on an axis parallel to the direction of motion.

    ↘N. Amer. informal overturn (a vehicle).

    ↘throw (a die or dice).

2》 (with reference to a vehicle or other wheeled object) move along.

    ↘(of a drop of liquid) flow.

    ↘(of waves, smoke, cloud, or fog) move or flow forward with an undulating motion.

    ↘[usu. as adjective rolling] (of land) extend in gentle undulations.

    ↘(of credits for a film or television programme) be displayed as if moving on a roller up the screen.

3》 (often roll something up) turn (something flexible) over and over on itself to form a cylindrical or spherical shape.

    ↘curl up tightly.

4》 (with reference to a machine, device, or system) begin operating.

    ↘(of time) elapse steadily: the years rolled by.

    ↘[as adjective rolling] steady and continuous: a rolling programme of reforms.

5》 flatten (something) by passing a roller over it or by passing it between rollers.

6》 (of a loud, deep sound) reverberate.

    ↘pronounce (a consonant, typically an r) with a trill.

    ↘(of words) flow mellifluously.

7》 informal rob (a drunk or sleeping person).

noun

1》 a cylinder formed by rolling flexible material.

    ↘a cylindrical mass or a number of items arranged in a cylindrical shape.

    ↘an item of food made by wrapping a flat sheet of pastry, cake, meat, or fish round a filling.

    ↘N. Amer. & Austral. a quantity of banknotes rolled together.

2》 a rolling movement.

    ↘a gymnastic exercise in which the body is rolled into a tucked position and turned in a forward or backward circle.

3》 a prolonged, deep, reverberating sound.

    ↘Music one of the basic patterns of drumming, consisting of a sustained, rapid alternation of single or double strokes of each stick.

4》 a very small loaf of bread.

5》 a roller used to shape metal in a rolling mill.

6》 an official list or register of names.

    ↘the total numbers on such a list.

    ↘a document, typically an official record, historically kept in scroll form.

Phrases

a roll in the hay (or the sack) informal an act of sexual intercourse.

be rolling in it (or money) informal be very rich.

on a roll informal experiencing a prolonged spell of success or good luck.

roll of honour a list of people whose deeds are honoured, or who have died in battle.

roll up one's sleeves prepare to fight or work.

roll with the punches

1》 (of a boxer) move one's body away from an opponent's blows so as to lessen the impact.

2》 adapt oneself to adverse circumstances.

strike someone off the roll Brit. debar a solicitor from practising as a penalty for dishonesty or other misconduct.

Phrasal verbs

roll something back reverse the progress or reduce the importance of something.

roll in informal

1》 be received in large amounts.

2》 arrive in a casual way in spite of being late.

roll on Brit. informal used to indicate that one wants a time or event to come quickly.

roll something out officially launch a new product.

roll something over Finance contrive or extend a particular financial arrangement.

roll up informal arrive.

roll something up Military drive the flank of an enemy line back and round so that the line is shortened or surrounded.

Derivatives

rollable adjective

Origin

ME: from OFr. rolle (n.), roller (v.), from L. rotulus 'a roll', var. of rotula 'little wheel', dimin. of rota.