ROLL

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does roll mean? 

• ROLL (noun)
  The noun ROLL has 15 senses:

1. rotary motion of an object around its own axis

2. a list of names

3. a long heavy sea wave as it advances towards the shore

4. photographic film rolled up inside a container to protect it from light

5. a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)

6. a roll of currency notes (often taken as the resources of a person or business etc.)

7. small rounded bread either plain or sweet

8. a deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells)

9. the sound of a drum (especially a snare drum) beaten rapidly and continuously

10. a document that can be rolled up (as for storage)

11. anything rolled up in cylindrical form

12. the act of throwing dice

13. walking with a swaying gait

14. a flight maneuver; aircraft rotates about its longitudinal axis without changing direction or losing altitude

15. the act of rolling something (as the ball in bowling)

  Familiarity information: ROLL used as a noun is familiar.

• ROLL (verb)
  The verb ROLL has 18 senses:

1. move by turning over or rotating

2. move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle

3. occur in soft rounded shapes

4. flatten or spread with a roller

5. emit, produce, or utter with a deep prolonged reverberating sound

6. arrange or or coil around

7. begin operating or running

8. shape by rolling

9. execute a roll, in tumbling

10. sell something to or obtain something from by energetic and especially underhanded activity

11. move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion

12. move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

13. move, rock, or sway from side to side

14. cause to move by turning over or in a circular manner of as if on an axis

15. pronounce with a roll, of the phoneme /r/

16. boil vigorously

17. take the shape of a roll or cylinder

18. show certain properties when being rolled

  Familiarity information: ROLL used as a verb is very familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ROLL (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Rotary motion of an object around its own axis

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

axial motion; axial rotation; roll

Context example:

wheels in axial rotation

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

gyration; revolution; rotation (a single complete turn (axial or orbital))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "roll"):

wallow (an indolent or clumsy rolling about)

Derivation:

roll (execute a roll, in tumbling)

roll (shape by rolling)

roll (arrange or or coil around)

roll (move by turning over or rotating)

roll (cause to move by turning over or in a circular manner of as if on an axis)

roll (move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A list of names

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

roll; roster

Context example:

his name was struck off the rolls

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

list; listing (a database containing an ordered array of items (names or topics))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "roll"):

muster roll (a list of names of officers and men in a military unit or ship's company)

waiting list (a roster of those waiting to obtain something)

rota (a roster of names showing the order in which people should perform certain duties)

church roll (a list of the members of church)

death-roll (a list of persons killed in a war or other disaster)

batting order; card; lineup ((baseball) a list of batters in the order in which they will bat)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A long heavy sea wave as it advances towards the shore

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

roll; roller; rolling wave

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

moving ridge; wave (one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Photographic film rolled up inside a container to protect it from light

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

film; photographic film (photographic material consisting of a base of celluloid covered with a photographic emulsion; used to make negatives or transparencies)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes

Synonyms:

coil; curl; curlicue; gyre; ringlet; roll; scroll; whorl

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

round shape (a shape that is curved and without sharp angles)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "roll"):

corolla ((botany) the whorl of petals of a flower that collectively form an inner floral envelope or layer of the perianth)

calyx ((botany) the whorl of sepals of a flower collectively forming the outer floral envelope or layer of the perianth enclosing and supporting the developing bud; usually green)

verticil (a whorl of leaves growing around a stem)

Derivation:

roll (shape by rolling)

roll (occur in soft rounded shapes)

roll (flatten or spread with a roller)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A roll of currency notes (often taken as the resources of a person or business etc.)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting possession and transfer of possession

Synonyms:

bankroll; roll

Context example:

he shot his roll on a bob-tailed nag

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

cash in hand; finances; funds; monetary resource; pecuniary resource (assets in the form of money)

Domain category:

business; business enterprise; commercial enterprise (the activity of providing goods and services involving financial and commercial and industrial aspects)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Small rounded bread either plain or sweet

Classified under:

Nouns denoting foods and drinks

Synonyms:

bun; roll

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

bread; breadstuff; staff of life (food made from dough of flour or meal and usually raised with yeast or baking powder and then baked)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "roll"):

bagel; beigel ((Yiddish) glazed yeast-raised doughnut-shaped roll with hard crust)

coffee roll; sweet roll (any of numerous yeast-raised sweet rolls with our without raisins or nuts or spices or a glaze)

onion roll (yeast-raised roll flavored with onion)

clover-leaf roll (yeast-raised dinner roll made by baking three small balls of dough in each cup of a muffin pan)

Parker House roll (yeast-raised dinner roll made by folding a disk of dough before baking)

kaiser roll (rounded raised poppy-seed roll made of a square piece of dough by folding the corners in to the center)

soft roll (yeast-raised roll with a soft crust)

crescent roll; croissant (very rich flaky crescent-shaped roll)

brioche (a light roll rich with eggs and butter and somewhat sweet)

hamburger bun; hamburger roll (a round bun shaped to hold a hamburger patty)

frankfurter bun; hotdog bun (a long bun shaped to hold a frankfurter)

tea bread (sweetened buns to be eaten with tea)

hard roll; Vienna roll (yeast-raised roll with a hard crust)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

peal; pealing; roll; rolling

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

sound (the sudden occurrence of an audible event)

Derivation:

roll (emit, produce, or utter with a deep prolonged reverberating sound)

Sense 9

Meaning:

The sound of a drum (especially a snare drum) beaten rapidly and continuously

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

drum roll; paradiddle; roll

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

sound (the sudden occurrence of an audible event)

Derivation:

roll (emit, produce, or utter with a deep prolonged reverberating sound)

Sense 10

Meaning:

A document that can be rolled up (as for storage)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

roll; scroll

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

holograph; manuscript (handwritten book or document)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "roll"):

Megillah ((Judaism) the scroll of parchment that contains the biblical story of Esther; traditionally read in synagogues to celebrate Purim)

Torah ((Judaism) the scroll of parchment on which the first five books of the Hebrew Scripture is written; is used in a synagogue during services)

Instance hyponyms:

Dead Sea scrolls ((Old Testament) a collection of written scrolls (containing nearly all of the Old Testament) found in a cave near the Dead Sea in the late 1940s)

Sense 11

Meaning:

Anything rolled up in cylindrical form

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

cylinder (a solid bounded by a cylindrical surface and two parallel planes (the bases))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "roll"):

bolt (a roll of cloth or wallpaper of a definite length)

rouleau (a roll of coins wrapped in paper)

rouleau (a roll of ribbon)

Sense 12

Meaning:

The act of throwing dice

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

cast; roll

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

throw (casting an object in order to determine an outcome randomly)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "roll"):

natural ((craps) a first roll of 7 or 11 that immediately wins the stake)

Holonyms ("roll" is a part of...):

craps (a gambling game played with two dice; a first throw of 7 or 11 wins and a first throw of 2, 3, or 12 loses and a first throw of any other number must be repeated to win before a 7 is thrown, which loses the bet and the dice)

Sense 13

Meaning:

Walking with a swaying gait

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

gait (a person's manner of walking)

Sense 14

Meaning:

A flight maneuver; aircraft rotates about its longitudinal axis without changing direction or losing altitude

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

airplane maneuver; flight maneuver (a maneuver executed by an aircraft)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "roll"):

barrel roll (a roll in which the plane follows a spiral course)

snap roll (a fast roll)

Sense 15

Meaning:

The act of rolling something (as the ball in bowling)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

bowl; roll

Hypernyms ("roll" is a kind of...):

actuation; propulsion (the act of propelling)

Holonyms ("roll" is a part of...):

bowling (the playing of a game of tenpins or duckpins etc)

• ROLL (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Move by turning over or rotating

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

roll; turn over

Context example:

turn over on your left side

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

turn (change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense)

Verb group:

revolve; roll (cause to move by turning over or in a circular manner of as if on an axis)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "roll"):

rim (roll around the rim of)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Sentence example:

These balls roll easily

Also:

roll down (gather into a huge mass and roll down a mountain, of snow)

roll over (make a rolling motion or turn)

Derivation:

roll (rotary motion of an object around its own axis)

roller (a cylinder that revolves)

roller (a small wheel without spokes (as on a roller skate))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

roll; wheel

Context example:

The President's convoy rolled past the crowds

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "roll"):

bowl (roll (a ball))

troll (cause to move round and round)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

These cars won't roll

Derivation:

roll (rotary motion of an object around its own axis)

rolling (propelling something on wheels)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Occur in soft rounded shapes

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

roll; undulate

Context example:

The hills rolled past

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP

Derivation:

roll (a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals))

Sense 4

Meaning:

Flatten or spread with a roller

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

roll; roll out

Context example:

roll out the paper

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

flatten (make flat or flatter)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "roll"):

cog (roll steel ingots)

mill (roll out (metal) with a rolling machine)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

roll (a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals))

Sense 5

Meaning:

Emit, produce, or utter with a deep prolonged reverberating sound

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context example:

rolling drums

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

go; sound (make a certain noise or sound)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence examples:

Cars roll in the streets
The streets roll with cars

Derivation:

roll (the sound of a drum (especially a snare drum) beaten rapidly and continuously)

roll; rolling (a deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells))

Sense 6

Meaning:

Arrange or or coil around

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

roll; twine; wind; wrap

Context example:

She wrapped her arms around the child

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "roll"):

spool (wind onto a spool or a reel)

coil; curl; loop (wind around something in coils or loops)

clew; clue (roll into a ball)

ball (form into a ball by winding or rolling)

reel (wind onto or off a reel)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something PP

Sentence examples:

They roll the wire around the stick
The wires roll around the stick

Also:

roll up (form a cylinder by rolling)

Derivation:

roll (rotary motion of an object around its own axis)

roller (a mechanical device consisting of a cylindrical tube around which the hair is wound to curl it)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Begin operating or running

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

The presses are already rolling

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

function; go; operate; run; work (perform as expected when applied)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 8

Meaning:

Shape by rolling

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

roll a cigarette

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

form; shape (give shape or form to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

roll (rotary motion of an object around its own axis)

roll (a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals))

Sense 9

Meaning:

Execute a roll, in tumbling

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Context example:

The gymnasts rolled and jumped

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

tumble (do gymnastics, roll and turn skillfully)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

roll (rotary motion of an object around its own axis)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Sell something to or obtain something from by energetic and especially underhanded activity

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

hustle; pluck; roll

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

rip; rip off; steal (take without the owner's consent)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something from somebody

Sense 11

Meaning:

Move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

flap; roll; undulate; wave

Context example:

the waves rolled towards the beach

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

move (move so as to change position, perform a nontranslational motion)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "roll"):

luff (flap when the wind is blowing equally on both sides)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

roller (a long heavy sea wave as it advances towards the shore)

Sense 12

Meaning:

Move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

cast; drift; ramble; range; roam; roll; rove; stray; swan; tramp; vagabond; wander

Context example:

They rolled from town to town

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Verb group:

drift; err; stray (wander from a direct course or at random)

wander (go via an indirect route or at no set pace)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "roll"):

maunder (wander aimlessly)

gad; gallivant; jazz around (wander aimlessly in search of pleasure)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s PP

Sense 13

Meaning:

Move, rock, or sway from side to side

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The ship rolled on the heavy seas

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

rock; shake; sway (move back and forth or sideways)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sense 14

Meaning:

Cause to move by turning over or in a circular manner of as if on an axis

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

revolve; roll

Context example:

They rolled their eyes at his words

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Verb group:

roll; turn over (move by turning over or rotating)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "roll"):

transit (revolve (the telescope of a surveying transit) about its horizontal transverse axis in order to reverse its direction)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

roll (rotary motion of an object around its own axis)

Sense 15

Meaning:

Pronounce with a roll, of the phoneme /r/

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Context example:

She rolls her r's

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

articulate; enounce; enunciate; pronounce; say; sound out (speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 16

Meaning:

Boil vigorously

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

roll; seethe

Context example:

The water rolled

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

boil; churn; moil; roil (be agitated)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Sentence example:

The water rolls

Sense 17

Meaning:

Take the shape of a roll or cylinder

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

Yarn rolls well

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

change form; change shape; deform (assume a different shape or form)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Something is ----ing PP
Somebody ----s Adjective

Sense 18

Meaning:

Show certain properties when being rolled

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

roll; roll up

Context example:

dried-out tobacco rolls badly

Hypernyms (to "roll" is one way to...):

change (undergo a change; become different in essence; losing one's or its original nature)

Verb group:

roll up; wrap up (form a cylinder by rolling)

furl; roll up (form into a cylinder by rolling)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s Adjective

 Context examples 

Solar eclipses are new moons on steroids, and this one could change your future path and keep seeing money roll in.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

It was he that first learned the trick of rolling a fellow- cub over with a cunning paw-stroke.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

He could have rolled up his sleeves and gone to work.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

It rolled a bit, perhaps, but that is allowed.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

“There, now they will roll better!” said he.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

Three-month-old babies cannot sit up or roll over, yet they are already capable of learning patterns from simply looking at the world around them, according to a recent Northwestern University study.

(Infants Are Able to Learn Abstract Rules Visually, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Dorothy was thinking so earnestly as they walked along that she did not notice when the Scarecrow stumbled into a hole and rolled over to the side of the road.

(The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank Baum)

The great breast and heavy fore legs were no more than in proportion with the rest of the body, where the muscles showed in tight rolls underneath the skin.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

When we came within sight of the sea, the waves on the horizon, caught at intervals above the rolling abyss, were like glimpses of another shore with towers and buildings.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Each rolling mountain whelmed them from view, and I would wait with sickening anxiety, fearing that they would never appear again.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)