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roll¹

  • /ɹəʊl/ UK
  • [ɹɒʊɫ] UK
  • /ɹɒl/ UK
  • /ɹoʊl/ Canada, US
  • [ɹoʊɫ] Canada, US
  • /ɹol/ Canada, US, dialectal
  • /ɹəʉl/ Australia
  • [ɹɔʉ̯ɫ] Australia
  • /ɹɔl/ Australia
  • /ɹɐʉl/ New Zealand
  • [ɹoʉɫ] New Zealand
  • /ɾol/ Scotland
  • /ɾoul/ Wales
  • /rol/ South Asia
  • /rɔ(w)l/ South Asia

Sounds like role (toe–tow merger) · Rhymes with -əʊl

Where it comes from

From Middle English rollen, partly from Old French roller, roler, röeler, röoler, from Medieval Latin rotulāre (“to roll; to revolve”), from Latin rotula (“a little wheel”), diminutive of rota (“a wheel”); partly from Anglo-Latin rollāre, from the same ultimate source.

Displaced native English welt and partially displaced English wallow.

verb rolls · rolling · rolled · roll

  1. ergative To revolve by turning over and over; to move by turning on a horizontal axis; to impel forward with a revolving motion on a supporting surface. To roll a wheel, a ball, or a barrel.
  2. ergative To wrap (something) round on itself; to form into a spherical or cylindrical body by causing to turn over and over. To roll a sheet of paper; to roll clay or putty into a ball.
  3. transitive To bind or involve by winding, as with a bandage; to enwrap; often with up. To roll up the vase in bubble wrap.
  4. ergative, figuratively, sometimes To drive, impel, or flow onward with a steady, wave-like motion. This river will roll its waters to the ocean.
  5. intransitive, of drops of liquid To pour or trickle. Drops of sweat rolled down his face.
  6. ergative To utter copiously, especially with sounding words; to utter with a deep sound; — often with forth, or out. To roll forth someone's praises; to roll out sentences.
  7. ergative To press, level, spread, or form with a roller or rollers. to roll a field; to roll paste; to roll steel rails.
  8. ergative To move upon rollers or wheels. We expressed our readiness, and in ten minutes were in the station wagon, rolling rapidly down the long drive, for it was then after nine. We passed on the way the van of the guests from Asquith.
  9. intransitive To tumble in gymnastics; to do a somersault.
  10. Canada, US, colloquial, intransitive To leave or begin a journey; sometimes with out. I want to get there early; let's roll.
  11. Canada, US, colloquial, intransitive To compete, especially with vigor. OK guys, we're only down by two points. Let's roll!
  12. Canada, US, colloquial, intransitive To walk, especially leisurely or idly; to stroll. Let's roll around town on foot and see the sights.
  13. transitive To beat with rapid, continuous strokes, as a drum; to sound a roll upon.
  14. To apply (one line or surface) to another without slipping; to bring all the parts of (one line or surface) into successive contact with another, in such a manner that at every instant the parts that have been in contact are equal.
  15. ergative To turn over in one's mind, as of deep thoughts; to (cause to) be considered thoroughly. Here tell me, if thou darest, my conscious soul, what different sorrows did within thee roll?
  16. US, intransitive, slang To behave in a certain way; to adopt a general disposition toward a situation. I was going to kick his ass, but he wasn't worth getting all worked up over; I don't roll like that.
  17. intransitive, transitive To roll dice such that they form a given pattern or total. If you roll doubles, you get an extra turn.
  18. intransitive To create a new character in a role-playing game, especially by using dice to determine properties. I'm gonna go and roll a new shaman tonight.
  19. intransitive To generate a random number.
  20. To perform an operation similar to a bit shift, but with the bit that "falls off the end" being wrapped around to the other end.
  21. intransitive, of an aircraft or vessel To rotate about the fore-and-aft axis, causing its sides to go up and down. Compare pitch, yaw.
  22. intransitive, in folk songs, of an aircraft or vessel To travel by sailing. We're homeward bound from the Arctic ground, Rolling down to Old Maui
  23. transitive To beat up; to assault. Sometimes I'd roll a stray drunk, maybe steal a suitcase . . . anything so I could make it till morning
  24. ergative, slang To (cause to) betray secrets or testify for the prosecution. The feds rolled him by giving him a free pass for most of what he'd done.
  25. intransitive, slang To be under the influence of MDMA (a psychedelic stimulant, also known as ecstasy). Cindy replied, “Wow, that’s great. Did you try E at those parties?” Steel said, “Oh yeah. I was rolling hard at the Willy Wonka party.”
  26. ambitransitive, of a camera To (cause to) film. The cameras are rolling.
  27. transitive To slip past (a defender) with the ball. So it was against the run of play that their London rivals took the lead two minutes before the interval through Drogba. He rolled William Gallas inside the area before flashing a stunning finish high past keeper Carlo Cudicini.
  28. intransitive To have a rolling aspect. the hills rolled on
  29. intransitive To make a loud or heavy rumbling noise. The thunder rolled and the lightning flashed.
  30. transitive To utter with an alveolar trill. Many languages roll their r's.
  31. US, transitive To enrobe in toilet-paper (as a prank or spectacle). The kids rolled the principal's house and yard.
  32. transitive To create a customized version of; often followed by one's own. Let's go through and outline how you might roll a kernel for a networked Linux machine you are using as your desktop machine and a file server for a network of Windows and Mac machines.
  33. transitive To engage in sparring in the context of jujitsu or other grappling disciplines.
  34. intransitive To load ocean freight cargo onto a vessel other than the one it was meant to sail on. Containers will be rolled to another mother vessel.
  35. transitive To briskly arpeggiate (a chord), typically in an upward motion.
  36. intransitive To drum on the reverse of a game controller with one's fingers in rapid succession, pushing the controller face into the opposite hand such that a button is rapidly pressed and depressed.

noun rolls

  1. The act or result of rolling, or state of being rolled. the roll of a ball
  2. Something formed into a compact shape by being rolled up. a roll of banknotes
  3. A forward or backward roll in gymnastics; going head over heels. A tumble.
  4. A heavy cylinder used to break clods.
  5. One of a set of revolving cylinders, or rollers, between which metal is pressed, formed, or smoothed, as in a rolling mill. to pass rails through the rolls
  6. A swagger or rolling gait.
  7. A heavy, reverberatory sound. Hear the roll of cannon.
  8. The uniform beating of a drum with strokes so rapid as scarcely to be distinguished by the ear.
  9. The oscillating movement of a nautical vessel as it rotates from side to side, about its fore-and-aft axis, causing its sides to go up and down, as distinguished from the alternate rise and fall of bow and stern called pitching; or the equivalent in an aircraft.
  10. The measure or extent to which a vessel rotates from side to side, about its fore-and-aft axis.
  11. The rotation angle about the longitudinal axis. Calculate the roll of that aircraft.
  12. An instance of the act of rolling an aircraft through one or more complete rotations about its longitudinal axis. The pilots entertained the spectators at the airshow by doing multiple rolls.
  13. The act of, or total resulting from, rolling one or more dice. Make your roll.
  14. A winning streak of continuing luck, especially at gambling (and especially in the phrase on a roll). He is on a roll tonight.
  15. A training match for a fighting dog.
  16. US An instance of the act of righting a canoe or kayak which has capsized, without exiting the watercraft, or being assisted. That was a good roll.
  17. The skill of righting a canoe or kayak which has capsized, without exiting the watercraft, or being assisted. She has a bombproof roll.
  18. Any of various financial instruments or transactions that involve opposite positions at different expiries, "rolling" a position from one expiry to another.
  19. An operation similar to a bit shift, but with the bit that "falls off the end" being wrapped around to the other end.
  20. A 14-day deployment.

roll²

  • /ɹəʊl/ UK
  • [ɹɒʊɫ] UK
  • /ɹɒl/ UK
  • /ɹoʊl/ Canada, US
  • [ɹoʊɫ] Canada, US
  • /ɹol/ Canada, US, dialectal
  • /ɹəʉl/ Australia
  • [ɹɔʉ̯ɫ] Australia
  • /ɹɔl/ Australia
  • /ɹɐʉl/ New Zealand
  • [ɹoʉɫ] New Zealand
  • /ɾol/ Scotland
  • /ɾoul/ Wales
  • /rol/ South Asia
  • /rɔ(w)l/ South Asia

Sounds like role (toe–tow merger) · Rhymes with -əʊl

Where it comes from

From Middle English rolle, from Old French rolle, role, roule, from Medieval Latin rotulus (“a roll, list, catalogue, schedule, record, a paper or parchment rolled up”); as such, it is a doublet of role and rotulus.

noun rolls

  1. That which is rolled up. a roll of fat, of wool, paper, cloth, etc.
  2. A document written on a piece of parchment, paper, or other materials which may be rolled up; a scroll. Busy angels spread / The lasting roll, recording what we say.
  3. An official or public document; a register; a record. As to the rolls of parliament, viz. the entry of the several petitions, answers and transactions in parliament. Those are generally and successively extant of record in the Tower
  4. A catalogue or list, (especially) one kept for official purposes. The roll of solicitors contains the names of all admitted solicitors of a jurisdiction.
  5. A food preparation comprising one or more ingredients wrapped in, e.g., flatbread, lettuce leaf, etc.

    Similar: pinwheel, rollup, swirl

  6. A quantity of cloth wound into a cylindrical form. a roll of carpeting; a roll of ribbon
  7. A cylindrical twist of tobacco.
  8. A kind of shortened raised biscuit or bread, often rolled or doubled upon itself; see also bread roll. Well, then, fix it up nice, waiter, and make mine baked hash an’ mashed ’taters and stewed corn and waiter!—plain white bread, no fancy rolls!
  9. obsolete A part; an office; a duty; a role. THE Methods of Government and of Humane Society, muſt be Preſerv’d, where Every Man has his Roll, and his Station Aſſign’d him ; and it is not for One Man to break in upon the Province of Another.
  10. A measure of parchments, containing five dozen. Parchement is sold by the dozen, and by the roll of five dozens.

Roll³

proper noun

  1. A diminutive of the male given name Roland.
  2. A surname.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: gyration, rotation, coil, curlicue, whorl, gyre, undulate, pluck, cast, roll out, hustle, wrap, turn over, peal, roller, pealing

Translations

Every language

verb to press or level with a roller

Españolallanar
中文擀 gǎn
Portuguêsamassar
Françaisrouler, laminer, niveler, aplatir
Deutschwalzen, ausrollen
Русскийката́ть katátʹ, раска́тывать raskátyvatʹ
العربيةفَرَدَ farada, رَقَّ raqqa

verb to move, or cause to be moved, upon rollers or small wheels

Españolrodar, rular, rolear
Portuguêsrolar
Deutschrollen
Русскийкати́ть katítʹ, ката́ть katátʹ, кати́ться katítʹsja, ката́ться katátʹsja

verb to rotate on fore-and-aft axis

Españolbalancear, alabear
Françaisrouler

verb to cause something to revolve by turning over and over

Españolhacer rodar, rodear, rular, arrodear
한국어구르다 gureuda, 굴리다 gullida
日本語転がる korogaru, 転がす korogasu
中文滾動 /滚动 gǔndòng
हिन्दीघूमाना ghūmānā
Portuguêsrolar, girar
Françaisfaire rouler
Deutschrollen
Italianofar rotolare, far girare, rotolare
Românăroti, rostogoli, învârti
Русскийкати́ть katítʹ, ката́ть katátʹ
Tiếng Việtlăn
العربيةدَحْرَجَ daḥraja
עבריתגלגל gilgél

verb to turn over and over

Españolrular, rodar, rolar, ructar, ronchar, arrodear
Italianorotolare
Русскийкататься katatʹsja, перекатываться perekatyvatʹsja
Tiếng Việtlăn
العربيةتَدَحْرَجَ tadaḥraja, تَكَوَّرَ takawwara, تَقَلَّبَ taqallaba

verb to wrap round on itself

Españolenroscar, liar, rolear
한국어감다 gamda, 말다 malda
日本語丸める marumeru
हिन्दीलपेटना lapeṭnā
Portuguêscircular
Françaisrouler
Deutschaufrollen, aufwickeln
Italianoarrotolare, accartocciare, formare una palla di, rullare
Русскийсвёртывать svjórtyvatʹ, ска́тывать skátyvatʹ
Tiếng Việtcuốn, cuộn
العربيةثَنَى ṯanā, لَفَّ laffa
עבריתגלגל gilgél

verb to bind or involve by winding

Españolenvolver, embrollar
한국어감다 gamda, 감싸다 gamssada
日本語巻く maku
Portuguêsrolar
Françaisenrouler
Deutschaufrollen, aufwickeln
Italianoimpacchettare, involtolare, avvolgere
Русскийзавёртывать zavjórtyvatʹ
Tiếng Việtquấn
العربيةثَنَى ṯanā, لَفَّ laffa

verb to drive or impel forward with an easy motion

Españolrodar
हिन्दीलुढ़काना luṛhkānā
Portuguêsrolar
Deutschrollen
Italianospingere
Русскийкати́ть katítʹ
Tiếng Việtđẩy, cuốn

verb to beat with rapid, continuous strokes, as a drum

Españolredoblar
हिन्दीबजाना bajānā
Portuguêsrufar
Deutschwirbeln
Italianofar rullare
Русскийрокотать rokotatʹ

verb geometry: to apply (one line or surface) to another without slipping

Españolrodar
Françaisfaire rouler

verb to turn over in one's mind

Españolreflexionar, reflejar

verb US slang: to behave in a certain way

Deutschlaufen

verb to (cause to) film

Españolrodar

verb to make noise like thunder

Françaisgronder

verb to utter with a trill

Españoltrinar, gorjear
Françaisrouler
Deutschrollen

noun that which rolls; a roller

Españolrodeador, rodeadora
हिन्दीगोला golā
Portuguêsrolo
Françaisrouleau
DeutschRoller
Italianorotolo
Русскийро́лик rólik, вал val, ва́лик válik

noun a roll in gymnastics

Españolvoltereta
Portuguêscambalhota
DeutschRolle, Vorwärtsrolle, Überschlag, Purzelbaum
Русскийпереворот perevorot, кувырок kuvyrok, кульбит kulʹbit

noun a heavy cylinder used to break clods

Españolrodillo
Portuguêsrolo
Françaisrouleau
DeutschWalze, Sternwälzegge
Italianorullo
Русскийвал val, бараба́н barabán

noun one of a set of revolving cylinders between which metal is pressed

Españolrodillo
हिन्दीबेलन belan
Portuguêscilindro
Françaisrouleau
DeutschWalze
Italianorullo
Русскийвал val

noun a heavy, reverberatory sound

Españolretumbo
Portuguêsribombo, estrondo
Françaisroulement, grondement
DeutschRollen, Grollen
Italianotonfo
Русскийраска́т raskát, раска́ты raskáty

noun the uniform beating of a drum

Españolredoble, redoblamiento, redobladura
Portuguêsrufo
Françaisroulement
DeutschWirbel, Wirbeln
Italianorullo di tamburi
Русскийбараба́нный бой barabánnyj boj

noun oscillating movement of a vessel from side to side

Españolbalanceo, alabeo
Portuguêsbalanço
Françaisroulis
DeutschRollen, Schlingern
Românăruliu
Русскийка́чка káčka

noun the rotation angle about the longitudinal axis

Françaisgîte
Русскийкрен kren

noun the act of rolling

Españolruedo, rodeo
हिन्दीघुमना ghumnā
Portuguêsrolagem
Françaisroulement
DeutschRollen, Walzen, Rolle
Italianorotolare, rotolamento
Русскийката́ние katánije, враще́ние vraščénije
עבריתגלגול gilgul

noun that which is rolled up

Españolrosca, rollo, rol
हिन्दीलपेटा lapeṭā
Portuguêsrolo
Françaisrouleau
DeutschBündel, Ballen, Röllchen
Italianoarrotolato
Русскийсвёрток svjórtok, руло́н rulón
Tiếng Việtcuốn, cuộn
עבריתגָּלִיל galíl

noun a scroll

Españolrollo
日本語巻子本 kanshihon
हिन्दीनामावली nāmāvlī
Portuguêsrolo
Françaisrouleau
DeutschSchriftrolle, Buchrolle, Schriftband
Русскийсви́ток svítok
Tiếng Việtcuộn, cuốn, quyển
עבריתמגילה megila

noun an official or public document

Españolregistro
हिन्दीसूची sūcī
Françaisrôle, registre
DeutschListe, Register, Namensliste
Italianorotolo
Русскийве́домость védomostʹ, рее́стр rejéstr
Tiếng Việtvăn kiện, tài liệu, hồ sơ, danh sách, danh mục

noun a list of names or an official register of names

Portuguêschamada
Françaisrôle
DeutschRolle, Namensrolle
Русскийве́домость védomostʹ, спи́сок spísok, рее́стр rejéstr

noun quantity of cloth wound into a cylindrical form

Españolrollo
हिन्दीलपेटा lapeṭā
Portuguêsrolo
Françaisrouleau
DeutschRolle, Ballen
Русскийруло́н rulón
Tiếng Việtcuộn

noun a cylindrical twist of tobacco

Españolrollo
हिन्दीतम्बाकू का गोला tambākū kā golā
Italianorullare, rotolo
Tiếng Việtcuộn

noun part; office; duty

Françaisrôle
DeutschRolle, Funktion
Tiếng Việtchức vụ, vai

noun a measure of parchments

Tiếng Việtcuộn, cuốn

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MLA

"roll." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/roll. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

APA

roll. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/roll

Chicago

"roll." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 5, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/roll.

BibTeX
@misc{roll_2026,
  title = {roll},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/roll},
  urldate = {2026-11-05}
}