roll
♦♦ roll /r'oʊl/ (rolls rolling rolled)
1 [VERB] V prep/adv, V n prep
When something rolls or when you roll it, it moves along a surface, turning over many times.
The ball rolled into the net...
I rolled a ball across the carpet...
2 [VERB] V prep/adv
If you roll somewhere, you move on a surface while lying down, turning your body over and over, so that you 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...
3 [VERB] V prep/adv
When vehicles roll along, they move along slowly.
The lorry quietly rolled forward.
4 [VERB] V
If a machine rolls, it is operating.
He slipped and fell on an airplane gangway as the cameras rolled...
5 [VERB] V down n
If drops of liquid roll down a surface, they move quickly down it.
She looked at Ginny and tears rolled down her cheeks.
6 [VERB] V n into n, V n
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...
He rolled and lit another cigarette.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
Roll up means the same as roll.
Stein rolled up the paper bag with the money inside.
7 [N-COUNT] usu N of n
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.
The photographers had already shot a dozen rolls of film.
see also toilet roll
8 [VERB] V n with adv
If you roll up 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...
9 [VERB] V n, V
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...
His eyes rolled and he sobbed.
10 [N-COUNT]
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.
11 [N-COUNT]
A roll of drums is a long, low, fairly loud sound made by drums.
As the town clock struck two, they heard the roll of drums.
see also drum roll
12 [N-COUNT] with supp
A roll is an official list of people's names.
...the electoral roll.
= register
13
see also rolling, rock and roll,
14 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If someone is on a roll, they are having great success which seems likely to continue. (INFORMAL)
I made a name for myself and I was on a roll, I couldn't see anything going wrong.
15 [PHRASE] PHR n
If you say roll on something, you mean that you would like it to come soon, because you are looking forward to it. (BRIT INFORMAL)
Roll on the day someone develops an effective vaccine against malaria.
16 [PHRASE] pl-n PHR, v-link PHR
If something is several things rolled into one, it combines the main features or qualities of those things.
This is our kitchen, sitting and dining room all rolled into one.
17
to start the ball rolling: see ball
heads will roll: see headdrum roll (drum rolls)
also drumroll
[N-COUNT]
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.
A long drum roll introduced the trapeze artists.elec|tor|al roll (electoral rolls)
[N-COUNT]
An electoral roll is the same as an electoral register. (BRIT)jel|ly roll (jelly rolls)
[N-VAR]
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. (AM; in BRIT, use swiss roll)pan|cake roll (pancake rolls)
[N-COUNT]
A pancake roll is an item of Chinese food consisting of a small roll of thin crisp pastry filled with vegetables and sometimes meat.
= spring rollrock and roll
also rock'n'roll
[N-UNCOUNT] oft N n
Rock and roll is a kind of popular music developed in the 1950s which has a strong beat and is played on electrical instruments.
...Elvis Presley-the King of Rock and Roll.roll back
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
To roll back a change or the power of something means to gradually reduce it or end it.
Environmentalists regard these moves as the government taking advantage of the national mood to roll back protective measures...
see also rollback
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
To roll back prices, taxes, or benefits means to reduce them. (mainly AM)
One provision of the law was to roll back taxes to the 1975 level.roll call (roll calls)
also roll-call
1 [N-VAR]
If you take a roll call, you check which of the members of a group are present by reading their names out.
We had to stand in the snow every morning for roll call.
2 [N-SING] N of n
A roll call of a particular type of people or things is a list of them. (JOURNALISM)
Her list of pupils read like a roll-call of the great and good.roll in
or roll into
1 [PHRASAL VERB] usu cont, V P
If something such as money is rolling in, it is appearing or being received in large quantities. (INFORMAL)
Don't forget, I have always kept the money rolling in.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P n
If someone rolls into a place or rolls in, they arrive in a casual way and often late. (mainly BRIT)
`I've made you late.'--`No that's all right. I can roll in when I feel like it.'...
The brothers usually roll into their studio around midday.roll of hon|our
[N-SING]
A roll of honour is a list of the names of people who are admired or respected for something they have done, such as doing very well in a sport or exam. (BRIT; in AM, use honor roll)roll up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you roll up your sleeves or trouser legs, you fold the ends back several times, making them shorter.
The jacket was too big for him so he rolled up the cuffs...
Walking in the surf, she had to roll her pants up to her knees.
see also rolled-up
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P prep/adv
If people roll up somewhere, they arrive there, especially in large numbers, to see something interesting. (INFORMAL)
Roll up, roll up, come and join The Greatest Show on Earth...
The first reporters rolled up to the laboratory within minutes.
3
see also roll 6, rolled-upsau|sage roll (sausage rolls)
[N-COUNT]
A sausage roll is a small amount of sausage meat which is covered with pastry and cooked. (BRIT)spring roll (spring rolls)
[N-COUNT]
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 (swiss rolls)
also swiss-roll
[N-VAR]
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. (BRIT; in AM, use jelly roll)toi|let roll (toilet rolls)
[N-VAR]
A toilet roll is a long narrow strip of toilet paper that is wound around a small cardboard tube.
1 [VERB] V prep/adv, V n prep
When something rolls or when you roll it, it moves along a surface, turning over many times.
The ball rolled into the net...
I rolled a ball across the carpet...
2 [VERB] V prep/adv
If you roll somewhere, you move on a surface while lying down, turning your body over and over, so that you 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...
3 [VERB] V prep/adv
When vehicles roll along, they move along slowly.
The lorry quietly rolled forward.
4 [VERB] V
If a machine rolls, it is operating.
He slipped and fell on an airplane gangway as the cameras rolled...
5 [VERB] V down n
If drops of liquid roll down a surface, they move quickly down it.
She looked at Ginny and tears rolled down her cheeks.
6 [VERB] V n into n, V n
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...
He rolled and lit another cigarette.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
Roll up means the same as roll.
Stein rolled up the paper bag with the money inside.
7 [N-COUNT] usu N of n
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.
The photographers had already shot a dozen rolls of film.
see also toilet roll
8 [VERB] V n with adv
If you roll up 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...
9 [VERB] V n, V
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...
His eyes rolled and he sobbed.
10 [N-COUNT]
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.
11 [N-COUNT]
A roll of drums is a long, low, fairly loud sound made by drums.
As the town clock struck two, they heard the roll of drums.
see also drum roll
12 [N-COUNT] with supp
A roll is an official list of people's names.
...the electoral roll.
= register
13
see also rolling, rock and roll,
14 [PHRASE] usu v-link PHR
If someone is on a roll, they are having great success which seems likely to continue. (INFORMAL)
I made a name for myself and I was on a roll, I couldn't see anything going wrong.
15 [PHRASE] PHR n
If you say roll on something, you mean that you would like it to come soon, because you are looking forward to it. (BRIT INFORMAL)
Roll on the day someone develops an effective vaccine against malaria.
16 [PHRASE] pl-n PHR, v-link PHR
If something is several things rolled into one, it combines the main features or qualities of those things.
This is our kitchen, sitting and dining room all rolled into one.
17
to start the ball rolling: see ball
heads will roll: see headdrum roll (drum rolls)
also drumroll
[N-COUNT]
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.
A long drum roll introduced the trapeze artists.elec|tor|al roll (electoral rolls)
[N-COUNT]
An electoral roll is the same as an electoral register. (BRIT)jel|ly roll (jelly rolls)
[N-VAR]
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. (AM; in BRIT, use swiss roll)pan|cake roll (pancake rolls)
[N-COUNT]
A pancake roll is an item of Chinese food consisting of a small roll of thin crisp pastry filled with vegetables and sometimes meat.
= spring rollrock and roll
also rock'n'roll
[N-UNCOUNT] oft N n
Rock and roll is a kind of popular music developed in the 1950s which has a strong beat and is played on electrical instruments.
...Elvis Presley-the King of Rock and Roll.roll back
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), also V n P
To roll back a change or the power of something means to gradually reduce it or end it.
Environmentalists regard these moves as the government taking advantage of the national mood to roll back protective measures...
see also rollback
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
To roll back prices, taxes, or benefits means to reduce them. (mainly AM)
One provision of the law was to roll back taxes to the 1975 level.roll call (roll calls)
also roll-call
1 [N-VAR]
If you take a roll call, you check which of the members of a group are present by reading their names out.
We had to stand in the snow every morning for roll call.
2 [N-SING] N of n
A roll call of a particular type of people or things is a list of them. (JOURNALISM)
Her list of pupils read like a roll-call of the great and good.roll in
or roll into
1 [PHRASAL VERB] usu cont, V P
If something such as money is rolling in, it is appearing or being received in large quantities. (INFORMAL)
Don't forget, I have always kept the money rolling in.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P n
If someone rolls into a place or rolls in, they arrive in a casual way and often late. (mainly BRIT)
`I've made you late.'--`No that's all right. I can roll in when I feel like it.'...
The brothers usually roll into their studio around midday.roll of hon|our
[N-SING]
A roll of honour is a list of the names of people who are admired or respected for something they have done, such as doing very well in a sport or exam. (BRIT; in AM, use honor roll)roll up
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
If you roll up your sleeves or trouser legs, you fold the ends back several times, making them shorter.
The jacket was too big for him so he rolled up the cuffs...
Walking in the surf, she had to roll her pants up to her knees.
see also rolled-up
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P, V P prep/adv
If people roll up somewhere, they arrive there, especially in large numbers, to see something interesting. (INFORMAL)
Roll up, roll up, come and join The Greatest Show on Earth...
The first reporters rolled up to the laboratory within minutes.
3
see also roll 6, rolled-upsau|sage roll (sausage rolls)
[N-COUNT]
A sausage roll is a small amount of sausage meat which is covered with pastry and cooked. (BRIT)spring roll (spring rolls)
[N-COUNT]
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 (swiss rolls)
also swiss-roll
[N-VAR]
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. (BRIT; in AM, use jelly roll)toi|let roll (toilet rolls)
[N-VAR]
A toilet roll is a long narrow strip of toilet paper that is wound around a small cardboard tube.