ROLL

Pronunciation (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. wrap 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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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)

Sense 2

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A list of names

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

roster; roll

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"):

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)

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

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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

A long heavy sea wave as it advances towards the shore

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

rolling wave; roller; roll

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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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:

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

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"):

verticil (a whorl of leaves growing around a stem)

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)

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

Sense 6

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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"):

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

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

onion roll (yeast-raised roll flavored with onion)

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

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

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)

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

Sense 8

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

rolling; pealing; peal; roll

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

sound (the sudden occurrence of an audible event)

Sense 9

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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)

Sense 10

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

scroll; roll

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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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"):

rouleau (a roll of ribbon)

rouleau (a roll of coins wrapped in paper)

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

Sense 12

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

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)

Sense 1

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Move by turning over or rotating

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

roll; turn over

Context examples:

The child rolled down the hill / turn over on your left side

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

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

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)

Sense 2

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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)

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

Sense 3

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Occur in soft rounded shapes

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Synonyms:

undulate; roll

Context example:

The hills rolled past

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 4

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Flatten or spread with a roller

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

roll out; roll

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

Sense 5

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Context examples:

The thunder rolled / 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

Sense 6

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Wrap or coil around

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

wrap; twine; wind; roll

Context examples:

roll your hair around your finger / Twine the thread around the spool

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

displace; move (cause to move, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

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

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)

spool (wind onto a spool or 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)

Sense 7

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Begin operating or running

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context examples:

The cameras were rolling / 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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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

Sense 9

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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

Sense 10

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Synonyms:

pluck; hustle; roll

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

steal (take without the owner's consent)

Sentence frames:

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

Sense 11

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

flap; undulate; wave; roll

Context examples:

The curtains undulated / 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

Sense 12

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

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

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

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

Context examples:

The gypsies roamed the woods / roving vagabonds / the wandering Jew / The cattle roam across the prairie / the laborers drift from one town to the next / They rolled from town to town

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

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

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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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 examples:

She rolled the ball / They rolled their eyes at his words

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

displace; move (cause to move, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

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

Sense 15

roll [BACK TO TOP]

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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Boil vigorously

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

seethe; roll

Context examples:

The liquid was seething / 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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Take the shape of a roll or cylinder

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context examples:

the carpet rolled out / 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

roll [BACK TO TOP]

Meaning:

Show certain properties when being rolled

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

roll up; roll

Context examples:

The carpet rolls unevenly / 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)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s Adjective