What does "roll" mean?
The act or result of rolling, or state of being rolled.
Roll
/ɹəʊl/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Top 500 ·Elementary level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act or result of rolling, or state of being rolled.
- Grammar: roll is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: bun, roster, account, advance.
- Useful contrasts: absence, crumble, halt.
- Usage evidence: We've got to hurry. Mr Itoh will call the roll.
How to use "roll"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "roll" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "roll" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "roll" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "roll" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "roll" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bun" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "roll", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act or result of rolling, or state of being rolled.
"the roll of a ball"
- 2 That which is rolled up.
"a roll of fat, of wool, paper, cloth, etc."
- 3 the act of rolling something (as the ball in bowling) wordnet
- 4 A forward or backward roll in gymnastics; going head over heels. A tumble.
- 5 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."
Show 38 more definitions
- 6 a flight maneuver; aircraft rotates about its longitudinal axis without changing direction or losing altitude wordnet
- 7 Something which rolls.; A heavy cylinder used to break clods.
- 8 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"
- 9 walking with a swaying gait wordnet
- 10 Something which rolls.; 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"
- 11 A catalogue or list, (especially) one kept for official purposes.
"The roll of solicitors contains the names of all admitted solicitors of a jurisdiction."
- 12 the act of throwing dice wordnet
- 13 A swagger or rolling gait.
- 14 A quantity of cloth wound into a cylindrical form.
"a roll of carpeting; a roll of ribbon"
- 15 anything rolled up in cylindrical form wordnet
- 16 A heavy, reverberatory sound.
"Hear the roll of cannon."
- 17 A cylindrical twist of tobacco.
- 18 photographic film rolled up inside a container to protect it from light wordnet
- 19 The uniform beating of a drum with strokes so rapid as scarcely to be distinguished by the ear.
- 20 A kind of shortened raised biscuit or bread, often rolled or doubled upon itself; see also bread roll.
- 21 a document that can be rolled up (as for storage) wordnet
- 22 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.
- 23 A part; an office; a duty; a role. obsolete
"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."
- 24 a list of names wordnet
- 25 The measure or extent to which a vessel rotates from side to side, about its fore-and-aft axis.
- 26 A measure of parchments, containing five dozen.
"Parchement is sold by the dozen, and by the roll of five dozens."
- 27 a long heavy sea wave as it advances towards the shore wordnet
- 28 The rotation angle about the longitudinal axis.
"Calculate the roll of that aircraft."
- 29 the sound of a drum (especially a snare drum) beaten rapidly and continuously wordnet
- 30 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."
- 31 a deep prolonged sound (as of thunder or large bells) wordnet
- 32 The act of, or total resulting from, rolling one or more dice.
"Make your roll."
- 33 rotary motion of an object around its own axis wordnet
- 34 A winning streak of continuing luck, especially at gambling (and especially in the phrase on a roll).
"He is on a roll tonight."
- 35 small rounded bread either plain or sweet wordnet
- 36 A training match for a fighting dog.
- 37 a roll of currency notes (often taken as the resources of a person or business etc.) wordnet
- 38 An instance of the act of righting a canoe or kayak which has capsized, without exiting the watercraft, or being assisted. US
"That was a good roll."
- 39 a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals) wordnet
- 40 The skill of righting a canoe or kayak which has capsized, without exiting the watercraft, or being assisted.
"She has a bombproof roll."
- 41 Any of various financial instruments or transactions that involve opposite positions at different expiries, "rolling" a position from one expiry to another.
- 42 An operation similar to a bit shift, but with the bit that "falls off the end" being wrapped around to the other end.
- 43 A 14-day deployment.
Verb
- 1 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. ergative
"To roll a wheel, a ball, or a barrel."
- 2 execute a roll, in tumbling wordnet
- 3 To wrap (something) round on itself; to form into a spherical or cylindrical body by causing to turn over and over. ergative
"To roll a sheet of paper; to roll clay or putty into a ball."
- 4 show certain properties when being rolled wordnet
- 5 To bind or involve by winding, as with a bandage; to enwrap; often with up. transitive
"To roll up the vase in bubble wrap."
Show 48 more definitions
- 6 take the shape of a roll or cylinder wordnet
- 7 To drive, impel, or flow onward with a steady, wave-like motion. ergative, figuratively, sometimes
"This river will roll its waters to the ocean."
- 8 shape by rolling wordnet
- 9 To utter copiously, especially with sounding words; to utter with a deep sound; — often with forth, or out. ergative
"To roll forth someone's praises; to roll out sentences."
- 10 boil vigorously wordnet
- 11 To press, level, spread, or form with a roller or rollers. ergative
"to roll a field; to roll paste; to roll steel rails."
- 12 pronounce with a roll, of the phoneme /r/ wordnet
- 13 To move upon rollers or wheels. ergative
"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."
- 14 flatten or spread with a roller wordnet
- 15 To tumble in gymnastics; to do a somersault. intransitive
- 16 arrange or coil around wordnet
- 17 To leave or begin a journey; sometimes with out. Canada, US, colloquial, intransitive
"I want to get there early; let's roll."
- 18 begin operating or running wordnet
- 19 To leave or begin a journey; sometimes with out.; To compete, especially with vigor. Canada, US, colloquial, intransitive
"OK guys, we're only down by two points. Let's roll!"
- 20 move by turning over or rotating wordnet
- 21 To leave or begin a journey; sometimes with out.; To walk, especially leisurely or idly; to stroll. Canada, US, colloquial, intransitive
"Let's roll around town on foot and see the sights."
- 22 cause to move by turning over or in a circular manner of as if on an axis wordnet
- 23 To beat with rapid, continuous strokes, as a drum; to sound a roll upon. transitive
- 24 move, rock, or sway from side to side wordnet
- 25 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.
- 26 move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment wordnet
- 27 To turn over in one's mind, as of deep thoughts; to (cause to) be considered thoroughly. ergative
"Here tell me, if thou darest, my conscious soul, what different sorrows did within thee roll?"
- 28 move along on or as if on wheels or a wheeled vehicle wordnet
- 29 To behave in a certain way; to adopt a general disposition toward a situation. US, intransitive, slang
"I was going to kick his ass, but he wasn't worth getting all worked up over; I don't roll like that."
- 30 move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion wordnet
- 31 To throw dice.; To roll dice such that they form a given pattern or total. intransitive, transitive
"If you roll doubles, you get an extra turn."
- 32 emit, produce, or utter with a deep prolonged reverberating sound wordnet
- 33 To throw dice.; To create a new character in a role-playing game, especially by using dice to determine properties. intransitive
"I'm gonna go and roll a new shaman tonight."
- 34 sell something to or obtain something from by energetic and especially underhanded activity wordnet
- 35 To throw dice.; To generate a random number. intransitive
- 36 occur in soft rounded shapes wordnet
- 37 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.
- 38 To rotate about the fore-and-aft axis, causing its sides to go up and down. Compare pitch, yaw. intransitive
- 39 To rotate about the fore-and-aft axis, causing its sides to go up and down. Compare pitch, yaw.; To travel by sailing. intransitive
"We're homeward bound from the Arctic ground, Rolling down to Old Maui"
- 40 To beat up; to assault. transitive
"Sometimes I'd roll a stray drunk, maybe steal a suitcase . . . anything so I could make it till morning"
- 41 To (cause to) betray secrets or testify for the prosecution. ergative, slang
"The feds rolled him by giving him a free pass for most of what he'd done."
- 42 To be under the influence of MDMA (a psychedelic stimulant, also known as ecstasy). intransitive, slang
"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.”"
- 43 To (cause to) film. ambitransitive
"The cameras are rolling."
- 44 To slip past (a defender) with the ball. transitive
"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."
- 45 To have a rolling aspect. intransitive
"the hills rolled on"
- 46 To make a loud or heavy rumbling noise. intransitive
"The thunder rolled and the lightning flashed."
- 47 To utter with an alveolar trill. transitive
"Many languages roll their r's."
- 48 To enrobe in toilet-paper (as a prank or spectacle). US, transitive
"The kids rolled the principal's house and yard."
- 49 To create a customized version of. transitive
"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."
- 50 To engage in sparring in the context of jujitsu or other grappling disciplines. transitive
- 51 To load ocean freight cargo onto a vessel other than the one it was meant to sail on. intransitive
"Containers will be rolled to another mother vessel."
- 52 To briskly arpeggiate (a chord), typically in an upward motion. transitive
- 53 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. intransitive
Proper Noun
- 1 A diminutive of the male given name Roland.
- 2 A surname.
Example
"We've got to hurry. Mr Itoh will call the roll."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "roll"?
Common synonyms include: bun, roster, account, advance, agenda, align.
How do you use "roll" in a sentence?
We've got to hurry. Mr Itoh will call the roll.
How do you pronounce "roll"?
Pronounced /ɹəʊl/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
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.
Etymology 2
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.