: a rolling movement or an action or process involving such movement
a roll of the dice
an airplane's takeoff roll
: such as
a
: a swaying movement of the body
b
: a side-to-side movement (as of a ship or train)
c(1)
: a flight maneuver in which a complete revolution about the longitudinal axis of an airplane is made with the horizontal direction of flight being approximately maintained
(2)
: the motion of an aircraft or spacecraft about its longitudinal axis
d
: a somersault executed in contact with the ground
Phrases
roll the bones
: to shoot craps
roll the dice
: to assume a risk by taking action
rolled the dice when they bought those stocks
roll with the punches
1
: to move so as to lessen the impact of blows
2
: to adjust to things as they happen
on a roll
: in the midst of a series of successes : on a hot streak—sometimes used with a modifier
Verb The children rolled down the hill. The ball rolled slowly to a stop. Roll the chicken wings in the batter. The paramedics rolled him onto the gurney. The car rolled slowly to a stop. A police car rolled up next to us. The children rolled the toy car to each other. The patient was rolled into the emergency room. The fog soon rolled away. See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English rolle, from Anglo-French roule, rolle, from Medieval Latin rolla, alteration of rotula, from Latin, diminutive of rota wheel; akin to Old High German rad wheel, Welsh rhod, Sanskrit ratha wagon
Verb
Middle English, from Anglo-French rouler, roller, from roele wheel, rowel & roule roll
First Known Use
Noun (1)
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)