From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishrollroll1 /rəʊl $ roʊl/ ●●● S1 W2 verb 1 round object [intransitive always + adverb/preposition, transitive]TURN if something rolls, especially something round, or if you roll it, it moves along a surface by turning over and overroll down/into/through etc The ball rolled into the street. One of the eggs rolled off the counter.roll something along/in/onto etc something Roll the chicken breasts in flour.2 person/animal [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition] (also roll over)TURN to turn your body over one or more times while lying down, or to turn someone else’s body overroll down/onto/off etc The children rolled down the hill, laughing. Ralph rolled onto his stomach.roll somebody onto/off something I tried to roll him onto his side.3 shape of tube/ball [transitive] (also roll up)TURN to make something into the shape of a tube or ballroll something into a ball/tube Roll the dough into small balls. Would you like the paper rolled or folded?4 make something flat [transitive]FLAT to make something flat by rolling something heavy over it → rolling pin Pizza dough should be rolled thinly.5 clothes [transitive] (also roll up) to fold the sleeves or legs of something that you are wearing upwards, so that they are shorter His sleeves were rolled above his elbows. 6 something with wheels [intransitive, transitive always + adverb/preposition]MOVE/CHANGE POSITIONPUSH to move on wheels, or make something that has wheels moveroll into/forwards/past etc Her car was slowly rolling away from the curb.roll something to/around etc something The waitress rolled the dessert trolley over to our table.► see thesaurus at push7 drop of liquid [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]LIQUIDMOVE/CHANGE POSITION to move over a surface smoothly without stoppingroll down/onto etc Tears rolled down her cheeks.8 waves/clouds [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]DN to move continuously in a particular directionroll into/towards etc Mist rolled in from the sea. We watched the waves rolling onto the beach.9 game [intransitive, transitive]DG if you roll dice, you throw them as part of a game10 sound [intransitive]CSOUND if drums or thunder roll, they make a long low series of sounds Thunder rolled in the distance. 11 machine/camera [intransitive]ON/SWITCHED ON if a machine such as a film camera or a printing press rolls, it operates There was silence as the cameras started to roll.12 ship/plane [intransitive]TTWTTA if a ship or plane rolls, it leans one way and then another with the movement of the water or air13 cigarette [transitive]DFT to make your own cigarette, using tobacco or marijuana and special paper → roll-up Ben rolled a joint (=a cigarette containing marijuana) and lit it. It’s cheaper to roll your own (=make your own cigarettes).14 shoulders [transitive] to move your shoulders forward, up, and back down He rolled his shoulders back.15 eyes [transitive]HBH to move your eyes around and up, especially in order to show that you are annoyed or think something is silly Lucy rolled her eyes as Tom sat down beside her. 16 attack [transitive] American English informalSCC to rob someone, especially when they are drunk and asleep Kids on the streets rolled drunks for small change.17 → (all) rolled into one18 → get (something) rolling19 → be rolling in money/dough/cash/it20 → be rolling in the aisles21 → be ready to roll22 → let’s roll23 → roll with the punches24 → roll on something25 → roll your r’s26 → a rolling stone gathers no moss27 → that's how I roll/it's how I roll → set/start/keep the ball rolling at ball1(6), → heads will roll at head1(37), → let the good times roll at let1(21) → roll around → roll something ↔ back → roll something ↔ down → roll in → roll out → roll (somebody) over → roll up→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
roll• Quiet! The cameras are rolling!• It pitched a yard short, bit viciously and rolled back down the green shelf at the front of the green.• The years may have rolled by, but the relationship between skis and soft snow has not changed.• Punks on the streets would roll drunks for small change.• But when electrical storms roll in, nothing is normal.• The burr of reform still rolled in the Garnock Valley.• One of the eggs rolled off the edge of the counter.• Ralph rolled onto his stomach.• I'm trying to teach my dog to roll over.• People were looking as they rolled past, observing my little moment of theater.• Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 12-inch square.• We had so much fun rolling stones down into the river.• Roll the tortilla around the chicken and serve with salsa.• Our driver rolled up his window and backed away, lightly tapping the front bumper of the car behind.• She rolled up the poster and put it in a cardboard tube.• Still half concussed, Delaney rolled upright and staggered.roll down/into/through etc• Tears were rolling down my cheeks.• For many, this outsized jamboree became both a new Pentecost and a New Jerusalem rolled into one.• Sunday, when clouds rolled into the Bay Area, I naturally resented the hell out of them.• Cars and vans rolled through the crowd, in the wake of the jeeps.• An hour later Ellie rolled down the drive, bringing the kids back from school.• It advances as a fast loser, but rolls into the pits listing hard to port, like a ship going down.• I stripped off his underpants, rolled down the window and held him in the air.roll down/onto/off etc• Soon it would roll down his nose, and then what?• The sun was gone, but with the window rolled down I could feel the warm wind.• His windows were rolled down, so there was nothing to obstruct my direct view of this scene.• Then, as the years rolled by, more bikes rolled off the edge or into the mountainside.• More than 600 Warriors are already in service and by 1994 a total of 1,053 are due to roll off the production lines.• Most have spent all their sentient life as paid-up devotees, and the glib phrases soon roll off the tongue.• She rolled on to her side to let him pull down the zip of her dress.roll something into a ball/tube• A hedgehog tries to climb up the net and when it hears you approach it promptly rolls up into a ball.• He picked lint from his pants, rolled it into a ball, and flicked it across the room.• He rolled it into a ball, put it into his mouth, chewed.roll into/forwards/past etc• Her hair was rolled into a passable pageboy and sometimes tied with a black ribbon.• People were looking as they rolled past, observing my little moment of theater.• Roll up the waistband like a belt and the pleats will roll into one another.• Just as his concessions were being broadcast, loyal contingents rolled into Saigon.• Sunday, when clouds rolled into the Bay Area, I naturally resented the hell out of them.• In a second the ball of flame had fallen and rolled into the dust, quivering as the flames consumed it.• It advances as a fast loser, but rolls into the pits listing hard to port, like a ship going down.• They didn't roll into the sky and sneer at the clouds like the plane did.roll down/onto etc• Donna rolled on to her back, her eyes half-closed, her limbs numb.• It will be the one flying into Jacksonville with the windows rolled down.• When it rolled over we believe it rolled on to her.• She was wearing a loose print dress and stockings that were rolled down below the knee.• They rolled down on to the rug.• It rolls down the stairs to the floor below.• Mickey had a ramp with pea sized objects rolling down to be dealt a mighty blow from a spring loaded mallet.roll into/towards etc• This flawless, cork screwed white-knuckle ride should roll and roll into 1993 and your back yard.• Cut roll into 20 equal pieces and roll each piece into a ball.• Her hair was rolled into a passable pageboy and sometimes tied with a black ribbon.• Lovable Manuel is quite the tyrant, a mini Papi and Mami rolled into one.• Sunday, when clouds rolled into the Bay Area, I naturally resented the hell out of them.• In a second the ball of flame had fallen and rolled into the dust, quivering as the flames consumed it.• It advances as a fast loser, but rolls into the pits listing hard to port, like a ship going down.• Colour a little more fondant or marzipan yellow and roll into two tapering sausages.roll ... own• I roll off my own bank, and try to follow him with the pipper.• Macready had rolled on to his own blade.• George rolled his own car next to Robbie without saying anything.• Edwin rolled his own cigarettes, my husband was a pipe man.• One would never roll one's own, even if one did smoke.rollroll2 ●●○ noun [countable] 1 paper/film/money etcCF a piece of paper, camera film, money etc that has been rolled into the shape of a tuberoll of I used up three rolls of film on holiday. There’s a new roll of silver foil in there. wallpaper costing £3 a roll → kitchen roll, toilet roll2 breadDF a small round loaf of bread for one person → bun hot soup served with crusty rolls bread rolls with butterham/cheese etc roll British English (=one that is filled with ham, cheese etc)3 list of namesLIST an official list of names SYN registeron the roll British English a school with 300 pupils on the rollcall/take the roll (=say the list of names to check who is there) The teacher called the roll. Three senators missed the roll call.the electoral roll British English, the (voter) rolls American English (=a list of the people who are allowed to vote)welfare rolls American English (=a list of people without jobs who claim money from the state) Thompson said he had cut welfare rolls by 39%. → roll of honour, honor roll4 → be on a roll5 gameDG the action of throwing dice as part of a game If you get a 7 or 11 on your first roll, you win.6 skin/fatFAT a thick layer of skin or fat, usually just below your waistroll of the rolls of fat on her stomach7 physical movement a) DSTURN British English a movement in which you roll forward or back in a controlled way with your body curled so that your head is near your feet, often done as part of a sport SYN somersault a forward roll gymnasts doing rolls and handsprings b) TURN especially British English the action of turning your body over one or more times while lying down a young horse having a roll in the field8 drums/guns/thunderSOUND a long low fairly loud sound made by drums etc There was a roll of thunder, and the rain started pelting down. a drum roll 9 ship/planeTTWTTA the movement of a ship or plane when it leans from side to side with the movement of the water or air10 → a roll in the hay → rock 'n' roll, sausage roll, spring roll, Swiss rollExamples from the Corpus
roll• The school now has a roll of over 2,000 children.• Hymns and more hymns, and how Bonnie Jean and I would look at one another and roll our eyes in complicity.• You have another roll, don't you?• When was the last time anybody saw hand towels or soap or a bog roll?• a cinnamon roll• Did I mention, I discovered a dozen rolls of the original wallpaper in a tin trunk in the attic?• Filled rolls with tea, coffee and soft drinks will be dispensed.• Hot, fresh rolls were served throughout the meal.• There are three basic ways in which a property owner can remove a building from the project-based Section 8 housing rolls.• I tore the endpaper off a new roll of Tums.• The frequency and extent of the roll varies from day to day and from one set of conditions to another.• Our nod went to the mushroom version, a perfect complement to the rolls.• The roll is called to see which members are present.• His name was not on the voters' roll.roll of• Some rolls of wallpaper were stacked in the corner.• I sent two rolls of film in yesterday to be developed.ham/cheese etc roll• Sarah carried her cup of coffee and cheese roll back to her chosen table and settled to work.• She bit into her cheese roll.• And double trouble from a Double Gloucester.The cheese roll that caused chaos.welfare rolls• Hundreds of thousands end up on welfare rolls.• But the new statistics showed that welfare rolls dropped by 2. 76 million people in the past four years.• They would begin with ready and contemptuous agreement that they are not on the welfare rolls.• This explains why even our most effective efforts to move people into jobs seem never to shrink the welfare rolls.• When her father started abusing her again, she was forced to leave and return to the welfare rolls.• They spend ever more on job training for welfare recipients, yet welfare rolls continue to grow.having a roll• So, having rolled away the rock, he hit George Foreman on the head with it.drum roll• Next came a drum roll, followed by a wave and a thumbs-up sign from the newly-weds.• Nothing obscures the outlines of an orchestral passage more than a drum roll on an unrelated note.• Starting lineup for the two-time defending world champion Houston Rockets recently has been, drum roll, please...• And then, with a final drum roll, it was all over.• The pre-recorded drum roll sounds and the sequined curtain flies up.• One boy, a child, begins a steady drum roll.• Mickey Dolenz, part of the 1960s band the Monkees, will lead the drum roll.From Longman Business Dictionaryrollroll /rəʊlroʊl/ verb → roll something → back → roll in → roll off something → roll something → out → roll something → over → roll something → up→ See Verb tableOrigin roll1 (1300-1400) Old French roller, from Vulgar Latin rotulare, from Latin rotula; → ROLL2 roll2 1. (1100-1200) Old French rolle “rolled-up document”, from Latin rotula, from rota; → ROTATE2. (1600-1700) → ROLL1 