I. ˈrōl noun
Etymology: Middle English rolle, from Anglo-French roule, rolle, from Medieval Latin rolla, alteration of rotula, from Latin, diminutive of rota wheel; akin to Old High German rad wheel, Welsh rhod, Sanskrit ratha wagon
Date: 13th century
1.
a.
(1) : a written document that may be rolled up : scroll ; specifically : a document containing an official or formal record
the roll s of parliament
(2) : a manuscript book
b. : a list of names or related items : catalog
c. : an official list
the voter roll s
as
(1) : muster roll
(2) : a list of members of a school or class or of members of a legislative body
2. : something that is rolled up into a cylinder or ball or rounded as if rolled
roll s of fat
as
a. : a quantity (as of fabric or paper) rolled up to form a single package
b. : a hairdo in which some or all of the hair is rolled or curled up or under
c. : any of various food preparations rolled up for cooking or serving
cabbage roll s
especially : a small piece of baked yeast dough
d. : a cylindrical twist of tobacco
e. : a roll of paper on which music for a player piano is recorded in perforations which actuate the keys
f. : a flexible case (as of leather) in which aritcles may be rolled and fastened by straps or clasps
jewelry roll
g.
(1) : paper money folded or rolled into a wad
(2) slang : bankroll
3. : something that performs a rolling action or movement : roller
4. : a wheel for making decorative lines on book covers ; also : a design impressed by such a tool
II. verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French rouler, roller, from roele wheel, rowel & roule roll
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1.
a. : to impel forward by causing to turn over and over on a surface
b. : to cause to revolve by turning over and over on or as if on an axis
c. : to cause to move in a circular manner
they roll ed their eyes at the absurdity
d. : to form into a mass by turning over and over
e. : to impel forward with an easy continuous motion
f. : to cause to move in a given direction by or as if by turning a crank
roll ed down the window
2.
a. : to put a wrapping around : enfold , envelop
b. : to wrap round on itself : shape into a ball or roll
roll ed up the newspaper
also : to produce by such shaping
roll ed his own cigarettes
3. : to press, spread, or level with a roller : make smooth, even, or compact
hulled and roll ed oats
roll paint
— often used with out
roll ed out the dough
4.
a. : to move on rollers or wheels
roll ed the patient into the operating room
b. : to cause to begin operating or moving
roll the cameras
5.
a. : to sound with a full reverberating tone
roll ed out the words
b. : to make a continuous beating sound upon : sound a roll upon
roll ed their drums
c. : to utter with a trill
roll ed his r 's
d. : to play (a chord) in arpeggio style
6. : to combine so as to comprise one entity — usually used in the phrase rolled into one
a shopping center, amusement park, and nightclub all roll ed into one
7. : to rob (a drunk, sleeping, or unconscious person) usually by going through the pockets ; broadly : rob
8. : bowl 1
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to move along a surface by rotation without sliding
b.
(1) : to turn over and over
the children roll ed in the grass
(2) : to luxuriate in an abundant supply : wallow
fairly roll ing in money
2.
a. : to move onward or around as if by completing a revolution : elapse , pass
the months roll on
b. : to shift the gaze continually
eyes roll ing in terror
c. : to revolve on an axis
3. : to move about : roam , wander
4.
a. : to go forward in an easy, gentle, or undulating manner
the waves roll ed in
b. : to flow in a continuous stream : pour
money was roll ing in
c. : to flow as part of a stream of words or sounds
the names roll off your tongue
d. : to have an undulating contour
roll ing prairie
e. : to lie extended : stretch
5.
a. : to travel in a vehicle
roll ing north on the highway
b. : to become carried on a stream
c. : to move on wheels
6.
a. : to make a deep reverberating sound
the thunder roll s
b. : trill
7.
a. : to swing from side to side
the ship heaved and roll ed
b. : to walk with a swinging gait : sway
8.
a. : to take the form of a cylinder or ball
b. : to respond to rolling in a specified way
9.
a. : to get under way : begin to move or operate
b. : to move forward : develop and maintain impetus
the project finally got roll ing
especially : to proceed or progress with notable ease or success
the team was roll ing
10. : to execute a somersault
11. of a football quarterback : to run toward one flank usually parallel to the line of scrimmage especially before throwing a pass — often used with out
•
- roll the bones
- roll the dice
- roll with the punches
III. noun
Date: 1688
1.
a. : a sound produced by rapid strokes on a drum
b. : a sonorous and often rhythmical flow of speech
c. : a heavy reverberatory sound
the roll of cannon
2. : a rolling movement or an action or process involving such movement
a roll of the dice
an airplane's takeoff roll
as
a. : a swaying movement of the body
b. : a side-to-side movement (as of a ship or train)
c.
(1) : a flight maneuver in which a complete revolution about the longitudinal axis of an airplane is made with the horizontal direction of flight being approximately maintained
(2) : the motion of an aircraft or spacecraft about its longitudinal axis
d. : a somersault executed in contact with the ground
•
- on a roll