Search results for 'rolling':

roll noun 1 a cylinder or tube formed by rolling up anything flat (such as paper, fabric, etc) • I used six rolls of wallpaper for this room. 2 a rolled document; a scroll. 3 a a small individually-baked portion of bread; b in compounds one of these with a specified filling • a cheese roll. 4 a folded piece of pastry or cake with a filling • swiss roll • sausage roll. 5 a rolled mass of something • rolls of fat. 6 an undulation, eg in a surface or of a landscape. 7 a an official list of names, eg of school pupils, members of a club or people eligible to vote; b the total number registered on such a list. 8 an act of rolling. 9 a swaying or rolling movement, eg in walking or dancing, or of a ship. 10 a long low prolonged sound • a roll of thunder. 11 a trill or trilling sound, especially an 'r' sound. 12 (also a drum roll) a series of quick beats on a drum. 13 a complete rotation around its longitudinal axis by an aircraft. 14 a roller or cylinder used to press, shape or apply something. 15 a an act or bout of rolling • Sparky had a roll in the sand; b a gymnastic exercise similar to, but less strenuous than, a somersault • a backward roll. 16 colloq money, especially a wad of banknotes. verb (rolled, rolling) 1 tr & intr to move or make something move by turning over and over, as if on an axis, and often in a specified direction • rolled the dice. 2 tr & intr to move or make something move on wheels, rollers, etc, or in a vehicle with wheels. 3 intrans (also roll over) said of a person or animal, etc that is lying down: to turn with a rolling movement to face in another direction. 4 tr & intr to move or make something move or flow gently and steadily. 5 intrans to seem to move like or in waves • a garden rolling down to the river. 6 intrans said eg of a ship: to sway or rock gently from side to side. 7 intrans to walk with a swaying movement • rolled in drunk at six o'clock. 8 tr & intr to begin to operate or work • the cameras rolled. 9 tr & intr to move or make (one's eyes) move in a circle, especially in disbelief, despair or amazement. 10 tr & intr to form, or form something, into a tube or cylinder by winding or being wound round and round. 11 (also roll up) a to wrap something by rolling • rolled a spliff; b to curl around • The hamster rolled up into a ball. 12 (also roll something out) to spread it out or make it flat or flatter, especially by pressing and smoothing with something heavy • rolled out the pastry. 13 intrans to make a series of long low rumbling sounds. 14 to pronounce (especially an 'r' sound) with a trill. 15 slang to rob someone who is helpless, usually because they are drunk or asleep. 16 a to make (the credits) appear on a screen; b to appear on a screen. 17 a to make (a car) do a somersault; b intrans said of a car: to overturn. rolled adj. a roll in the hay colloq an act of sexual intercourse. heads will roll severe punishment will be dealt out, especially involving loss of job or status. on a roll chiefly US colloq going through a period of continuous good luck or success. rolled into one combined in one person or in one thing. roll with the punches 1 said of a boxer: to move the body away from and in the same direction as an opponent's punches to reduce their impact. 2 to go along with something negative and to offer no resistance in order to lessen its impact. strike someone off the roll to remove the right to practise from (a doctor, solicitor, etc), after professional misconduct. roll on ... may a specified event, time, etc come soon • Roll on the holidays.
ETYMOLOGY: 14c: from French rolle, from Latin rotula, diminutive of rota a wheel.

rolling adj 1 said of land, countryside, etc: with low, gentle hills and valleys, and without steep slopes and crags. 2 colloq extremely wealthy. 3 colloq staggering with drunkenness. 4 said of a contract: subject to review at regular intervals. 5 said of planned events, etc: organized so as to take place successively, on a relay or rota system, or with a steadily maintained or increasing effect.