Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense rolls, present participle rolling, past tense, past participle rolled
1. verb
When something rolls or when you roll it, it moves along a surface, turning over many times.
The ball rolled into the net. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Their car went off the road and rolled over. [VERB preposition/adverb]
I rolled a ball across the carpet. [VERB noun preposition]
Roll the meat in coarsely ground black pepper to season it. [VERB noun preposition]
Synonyms: turn, wheel, spin, reel More Synonyms of roll
2. verb
If you roll somewhere, you move on a surface while lying down, turning your body over and over, so thatyou are sometimes on your back, sometimes on your side, and sometimes on your front.
When I was a little kid I rolled down a hill and broke my leg. [VERB preposition/adverb]
They just rolled about on the floor punching each other like schoolboys. [VERB preposition/adverb]
She rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows. [VERB preposition/adverb]
3. verb
When vehicles roll along, they move along slowly.
The lorry quietly rolled forward. [VERB preposition/adverb]
Synonyms: trundle, go, move, pass More Synonyms of roll
4. verb
If a machine rolls, it is operating.
He slipped and fell on an airplane gangway as the cameras rolled. [VERB]
The newspaper presses are rolling in Pittsburgh again today. [VERB]
5. verb
If drops of liquid roll down a surface, they move quickly down it.
She looked at Ginny and tears rolled down her cheeks. [V + down]
6. verb
If you roll something flexible into a cylinder or a ball, you form it into a cylinder or a ball by wrapping it several times around itself or by shaping it between your hands.
He took off his sweater, rolled it into a pillow and lay down on the grass. [VERB noun + into]
He rolled a cigarette. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: wind, bind, wrap, twist More Synonyms of roll
Roll up means the same as roll.
Stein rolled up the paper bag with the money inside. [VERBPARTICLE noun]
[Also VERB noun PARTICLE]
7. countable noun
A rollof paper, plastic, cloth, or wire is a long piece of it that has been wrapped many times around itself or around a tube.
The photographers had already shot a dozen rolls of film. [+ of]
...a roll of blue insulated wire.
Synonyms: reel, ball, bobbin, cylinder More Synonyms of roll
8. See also toilet roll
9. verb
If you rollup something such as a car window or a blind, you cause it to move upwards by turning a handle. If you roll it down, you cause it to move downwards by turning a handle.
In mid-afternoon, shopkeepers began to roll down their shutters. [VERB noun with adverb]
She rolled up the window and drove on. [VERB noun with adverb]
He rolled his window down and gave the man the money. [VERB noun with adverb]
10. verb
If you roll your eyes or if your eyes roll, they move round and upwards. People sometimes roll their eyes when they are frightened, bored, or annoyed.
[written]
People may roll their eyes and talk about overprotective, interfering grandmothers. [VERB noun]
His eyes rolled and he sobbed. [VERB]
11. countable noun
A roll is a small piece of bread that is round or long and is made to be eaten by one person.Rolls can be eaten plain, with butter, or with a filling.
He spread butter on a roll.
12. countable noun
A rollof drums is a long, low, fairly loud sound made by drums.
As the town clock struck two, they heard the roll of drums. [+ of]
Synonyms: rumble, boom, drumming, roar More Synonyms of roll
13. See also drum roll
14. countable noun
A roll is an official list of people's names.
...the electoral roll.
15. See also rolling, rock and roll, sausage roll
16.
See on a roll
17.
See roll on sth
18.
See rolled into one
19. to start the ball rolling
20. heads will roll
Phrasal verbs:
See roll back
See roll in
See roll up
More Synonyms of roll
roll in British English
(rəʊl)
verb
1.
to move or cause to move along by turning over and over
2.
to move or cause to move along on wheels or rollers
3.
to flow or cause to flow onwards in an undulating movement
billows of smoke rolled over the ground
4. (intransitive)
to extend in undulations
the hills roll down to the sea
5. (intransitive; usually foll byaround)
to move or occur in cycles
6. (intransitive)
(of a planet, the moon, etc) to revolve in an orbit
7. (intr; foll by on, by, etc)
to pass or elapse
the years roll by
8.
to rotate or cause to rotate wholly or partially
to roll one's eyes
9.
to curl, cause to curl, or admit of being curled, so as to form a ball, tube, or cylinder; coil
10.
to make or form by shaping into a ball, tube, or cylinder
to roll a cigarette
11. (often foll by out)
to spread or cause to spread out flat or smooth under or as if under a roller
to roll the lawn
to roll pastry
12.
to emit, produce, or utter with a deep prolonged reverberating sound
the thunder rolled continuously
13.
to trill or cause to be trilled
to roll one's r's
14. (intransitive)
(of a vessel, aircraft, rocket, etc) to turn from side to side around the longitudinal axis
Compare pitch1 (sense 11), yaw (sense 1)
15.
to cause (an aircraft) to execute a roll or (of an aircraft) to execute a roll
16. (intransitive)
to walk with a swaying gait, as when drunk; sway
17. (intransitive; often foll byover)
(of an animal, esp a dog) to lie on its back and wriggle while kicking its legs in the air, without moving along
18. (intransitive)
to wallow or envelop oneself (in)
19. (transitive)
to apply ink to (type, etc) with a roller or rollers
20.
to throw (dice)
21. (intransitive)
to operate or begin to operate
the presses rolled
22. (intransitive) informal
to make progress; move or go ahead
let the good times roll
23. (transitive) informal, mainly US and New Zealand
to rob (a helpless person, such as someone drunk or asleep)
24. (transitive) slang
to have sexual intercourse or foreplay with (a person)
25. start the ball rolling
noun
26.
the act or an instance of rolling
27.
anything rolled up in a cylindrical form
a roll of newspaper
28.
an official list or register, esp of names
an electoral roll
29.
a rounded mass
rolls of flesh
30.
a strip of material, esp leather, fitted with pockets or pouches for holding tools, toilet articles, needles and thread, etc
31.
a cylinder used to flatten something; roller
32.
a small loaf of bread for one person: eaten plain, with butter, or as a light meal when filled with meat, cheese, etc
33.
a flat pastry or cake rolled up with a meat (sausage roll), jam (jam roll), or other filling
See also swiss roll
34.
a swell, ripple, or undulation on a surface
the roll of the hills
35.
a swaying, rolling, or unsteady movement or gait
36.
a deep prolonged reverberating sound
the roll of thunder
37.
a rhythmic cadenced flow of words
38.
a trilling sound; trill
39.
a very rapid beating of the sticks on a drum
40.
a flight manoeuvre in which an aircraft makes one complete rotation about its longitudinal axis without loss of height or change in direction
41.
the angular displacement of a vessel, rocket, missile, etc, caused by rolling
42.
a throw of dice
43.
a bookbinder's tool having a brass wheel, used to impress a line or repeated pattern on the cover of a book
44. slang
an act of sexual intercourse or petting (esp in the phrase a roll in the hay)
45. US slang
an amount of money, esp a wad of paper money
46. on a roll
47. strike off the roll
Word origin
C14 rollen, from Old French roler, from Latin rotulus a little wheel, from rota a wheel
roll in American English
(roʊl)
verb intransitive
1.
a.
to move by turning on an axis or over and over
b.
to rotate about its axis lengthwise, as a spacecraft in flight
2.
a.
to move or be moved on wheels
b.
to travel in a wheeled vehicle
3.
to travel about; wander
4.
to pass; elapse
the years rolled by
5.
a.
to flow, as water, in a full swelling or sweeping motion
the waves rolling against the boat
b.
to be carried in a flow
6.
to extend in gentle swells or undulations
7.
to make a loud, continuous rising and falling sound
thunder rolls
8.
to rise and fall in a full, mellow cadence
said of sound, speech, etc.
9.
to trill or warble
10.
to form a ball or cylinder when turned over and over on itself
said as of cloth or yarn
11.
to turn in a circular motion or move back and forth
with eyes rolling
12.
to rock from side to side
the ship pitched and rolled
13.
to walk by swaying
14.
to become flattened or spread under a roller
15.
to make progress; advance
start rolling
16.
to start operating
the presses rolled
17.
to take part in a bowling game
18. Informal
to have plenty; abound (in)
rolling in wealth
19. US, American Football
to move laterally
said of the passer: in full roll out
verb transitive
20.
to move by turning on an axis or over and over
to roll a hoop
21.
to move or send on wheels or rollers
22.
to cause to start operating
23.
to move or send in a full, sweeping motion
24.
to beat (a drum) with blows in rapid, light succession
25.
to utter with full, flowing sound
to roll one's words
26.
to pronounce or say with a trill
to roll one's r's
27.
to give a swaying motion to
waves rolling the ship along
28.
to move gently around and around or from side to side
to roll one's eyes
29.
to make into a ball or cylinder by winding over and over itself or something else
to roll a cigarette
30.
to wrap or enfold, as in a covering
to roll a child in a blanket
31.
to make flat, smooth, or spread out by using a roller, rolling pin, etc.
32. US
a.
to throw (the dice) as in the game of craps
b.
to make (a specified cast) with dice
she rolled a four
33. US, Slang
to rob (a drunken or sleeping person)
34. Bowling
a.
to throw (a ball)
b.
to make (a certain play or score)
to roll a strike
c.
to take part in (a game or games)
to roll three games
35. Printing
to spread ink on (type, a form, etc.) with a roller
noun
36.
the act or an instance of rolling
37.
a.
a paper, parchment, etc. that is rolled up; scroll
b.
something that is, or looks as if, rolled up
38.
a register; catalog
39.
a list of names for checking attendance; muster roll
40.
a measure of something rolled into a cylinder
a roll of wallpaper
41.
a cylindrical mass of something
a sausage roll
42.
any of various foods that are rolled during preparation
, as
a.
any small portion of bread, variously shaped
b.
thin cake covered with fruit, nuts, etc. and rolled
a jelly roll
c.
beef, veal, etc. rolled and cooked
43.
a roller (in various senses)
44.
a swaying or rolling motion
45.
a rapid succession of light blows on a drum
46.
a loud, reverberating sound; peal, as of thunder
47.
a full, cadenced flow of words
48.
a trill or warble
49.
a slight swell or rise on the surface of something, as land
50. US, Slang
money; esp., a wad of paper money
51. Aeronautics
a maneuver in which an airplane in flight performs one complete rotation around its longitudinal axis
52. Bookbinding
a revolving tool used in making an impression or pattern
SIMILAR WORDS: list
Idioms:
a roll in the hay
be on a roll
roll back
roll in
roll out
roll over
roll round
roll up
roll with a punch
strike off the rolls
Word origin
ME rollen < OFr roller < VL *rotulare < L rotula, rotulus, dim. of rota, wheel < IE *roto-, var. of base *ret(h)-, to run, roll > OIr rethim, (I) run, OHG rad, wheel
roll in Hospitality
(roʊl)
Word forms: (regular plural) rolls
noun
(Hospitality (hotel): Food and drink, breakfast)
A roll is a small piece of bread that is round or long and is made to be eaten by one person.Rolls can be eaten plain, with butter, or with a filling.
The waitress came in with bread rolls and coffee.
He sipped at his coffee and spread butter on a roll.
Can I have another basket of rolls and some jelly please?
More idioms containing
roll
heads roll
roll out the red carpet
roll in the aisles
roll with the punches
be on a roll
roll up your sleeves
Examples of 'roll' in a sentence
roll
Served in buttered cob rolls with extra chutney and sliced cucumber.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This was the last roll of the dice.
The Sun (2016)
The video went live and the money rolled in.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The year has been a coaching and public relations triumph rolled into one.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The draw has been kind and he can roll back the years.
The Sun (2016)
The earliest pounds you invest will have the longest to roll up into big nest eggs.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
That sounds like the roll call from a bad night in Homs.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The technology is there to do mobile payments, now it’s about getting it rolled out commercially.
Computing (2010)
The scheme will be rolled out across England from December.
The Sun (2016)
It makes rolls with yummy cheese already in the middle.
Joanna Blythman Bad Food Britain (2006)
Will she be rolling in money at some point?
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Sit on the edge of a chair and arch your back by rolling your hips forward.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
This is actually a few questions rolled into one.
The Sun (2010)
The public is in no mood to watch multimillionaires rolling on the ground feigning injury.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The cautious man would roll the dice now.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The roll call is long and varied.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
They want to roll in the hay.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
White pulled to a halt and rolled down the window.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
There will be no red carpet rolled out for me.
The Sun (2011)
One of them is a stylish roll across a car bonnet.
The Sun (2013)
The rolling hills around are home to deer.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Gently squeeze the mat to form a tight roll.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
We rolled along towards the white towns looking like summer snow caps atop the peaks.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Once mashed the butter is rolled in clingfilm and frozen.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They rolled about the sofa together like cubs.
Paige, Frances The Glasgow Girls (1994)
Wrap one in a wet piece of kitchen roll and pop it in the freezer.
The Sun (2014)
Tuck in the sides while rolling up each parcel.
Bennett, Carol Asthma and Eczema - special diet cookbook (1989)
And the cheese rolling is a funny one.
The Sun (2012)
Then watch the money and fame roll in!
The Sun (2009)
When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
It sounded like a rolling inquiry, and an endless one.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The former England cricketer rolled his car at a hairpin near the end of the first stage.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Choose a roll of galvanised wire of a thickness you can pull tight - it can be quite a tough job.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Word lists with
roll
terms used in aviation, bread
In other languages
roll
British English: roll /rəʊl/ NOUN
A roll of paper, plastic, cloth, or wire is a long piece of it that has been wrapped many times around itself or around a tube.
...rolls of brightly coloured wrapping paper.
American English: roll of paper, plastic, cloth, wire
Arabic: لَفَّة
Brazilian Portuguese: rolo
Chinese: 一卷
Croatian: rola
Czech: role svitek
Danish: rulle
Dutch: rol rolletje
European Spanish: panecillo
Finnish: rulla
French: rouleau
German: Rolle Gegenstand
Greek: ρολό
Italian: rotolo
Japanese: 転がり
Korean: 두루마리
Norwegian: rull
Polish: rulon
European Portuguese: rolo
Romanian: rolă
Russian: сверток
Latin American Spanish: rollo
Swedish: rulle
Thai: ม้วน
Turkish: yuvarlanma
Ukrainian: рулон
Vietnamese: sự lăn tròn
British English: roll /rəʊl/ VERB
If something rolls or if you roll it, it moves along a surface, turning over many times.
The ball rolled into the net.
American English: roll
Arabic: يَتَدَحْرَجُ
Brazilian Portuguese: rolar-se
Chinese: 翻滚
Croatian: kotrljati se
Czech: kutálet (se)
Danish: rulle
Dutch: rollen
European Spanish: rodar
Finnish: pyöriä
French: rouler
German: rollen
Greek: κυλώ
Italian: rotolare
Japanese: 転がる
Korean: 구르다
Norwegian: rulle
Polish: potoczyć
European Portuguese: rebolar
Romanian: a rula
Russian: катиться
Latin American Spanish: rodar
Swedish: rulla
Thai: กลิ้ง
Turkish: yuvarlanmak
Ukrainian: скручувати
Vietnamese: lăn
All related terms of 'roll'
roll in
If something such as money is rolling in , it is appearing or being received in large quantities.
roll on
A roll-on is a deodorant or cosmetic that you apply to your body using a container with a ball which turns round in the neck of the container.
roll up
If you roll up your sleeves or trouser legs , you fold the ends back several times, making them shorter.
bog roll
a toilet roll ; toilet paper
dog-roll
a large sausage-shaped roll of processed meat used for dog food
drum roll
A drum roll is a series of drumbeats that follow each other so quickly that they make a continuous sound. A drum roll is often used to show that someone important is arriving , or to introduce someone.
egg roll
a Chinese-American dish consisting of egg dough filled with a minced mixture of pork , bamboo shoots, onions , etc, and browned in deep fat
jam roll
a sponge cake spread with jam , cream, or some other filling , and rolled up
pipe roll
an annual record of the accounts of a sheriff or other minister of the crown kept at the British Exchequer from the 12th to the 19th centuries
rent-roll
a register of lands and buildings owned by a person, company , etc, showing the rent due and total amount received from each tenant
roll back
To roll back a change or the power of something means to gradually reduce it or end it.
roll bag
a small zippered duffel bag for carrying school supplies , sports gear , or the like
roll bar
a strong steel bar that passes over and across the width of the interior compartment in some automotive vehicles so as to reduce injury to the driver and passengers if the vehicle rolls over
roll cage
A roll cage is a safety structure built onto an open car, tractor , or off-highway vehicle to protect the people inside if the vehicle rolls over.
roll call
If you take a roll call , you check which of the members of a group are present by reading their names out.
roll film
a length of photographic film backed with opaque paper and rolled on a spool
roll mill
A roll mill is a mixer with cylinders that rotate to squeeze the components together.
roll-neck
A roll-neck sweater or a roll-necked sweater is a sweater with a high neck than can be rolled over.
roll off
to exhibit gradually reduced response at the upper or lower ends of the working frequency range
roll out
to cause ( pastry ) to become flatter and thinner by pressure with a rolling pin
roll over
to overturn
roll-top
made with a flexible top of parallel slats that slides back
snap roll
a manoeuvre in which an aircraft makes a fast roll
barrel roll
a flight manoeuvre in which an aircraft rolls about its longitudinal axis while following a spiral course in line with the direction of flight
bread roll
a small piece of bread dough made into a circular shape and baked
bridge roll
a soft bread roll in a long thin shape
class roll
(in Britain) a list categorizing students according to the class of honours they have obtained in their degree examination
cloth roll
a roller , located at the front of a loom , on which woven material is wound after it leaves the breast beam
court roll
the register of land holdings, etc, of a manorial court
dandy roll
a light roller used in the manufacture of certain papers to produce watermarks
death roll
a list of the people killed in a war or disaster
dinner roll
a small round piece of bread provided as a side dish as part of a meal
Eskimo roll
a manoeuvre that causes a kayak to return to an upright position after capsizing
French roll
→ French twist
heads roll
said to mean that the people responsible or in positions of power when something goes wrong are punished , usually by losing their job or position
honor roll
a list of students who have gained high grades
jelly roll
Jelly roll is a cylindrical cake made from a thin , flat cake which is covered with jam or cream on one side , then rolled up.
kaiser roll
a large, round roll with a hard crust , used for sandwiches
music roll
a roll of perforated paper for use in a mechanical instrument such as a player piano
muster roll
a list of the officers and men in a regiment , ship's company, etc
on a roll
If someone is on a roll , they are having great success which seems likely to continue.
piano roll
a perforated roll of paper actuating the playing mechanism of a Pianola
roll center
The roll center is the center about which a vehicle body rolls .
roll cloud
arcus
roll-collar
(of a garment ) having a high neck that may be rolled over
roll-necked
(of a garment ) having a high neck that may be rolled over
roll round
to recur , as in a cycle
spring roll
A spring roll is a Chinese food consisting of a small roll of thin pastry filled with vegetables and sometimes meat, and then fried.
swiss roll
A swiss roll is a cylindrical cake made from a thin flat sponge which is covered with jam or cream on one side , then rolled up.
toilet roll
A toilet roll is a long narrow strip of toilet paper that is wound around a small cardboard tube.