roll
roll [roll rolls rolled rolling] noun, verb BrE [rəʊl] NAmE [roʊl]
noun 
OF PAPER/CLOTH, ETC.
1. countable ~ (of sth) a long piece of paper, cloth, film, etc. that has been wrapped around itself or a tube several times so that it forms the shape of a tube
•a roll of film
• Wallpaper is sold in rolls.
see also ↑toilet roll
OF SWEETS/CANDY
2. countable ~ (of sth) (NAmE)a paper tube wrapped around sweets/candy, etc
•a roll of mints
BREAD
3. (also ˌbread ˈroll)countable a small ↑loaf of bread for one person
•Soup and a roll: £3.50
•a chicken/cheese, etc. roll (= filled with chicken/cheese, etc.)
compare ↑bun
see also ↑sausage roll, ↑spring roll, ↑Swiss roll
OF BODY
4. singular an act of rolling the body over and over
• The kittens were enjoying a roll in the sunshine.
5. countable a physical exercise in which you roll your body on the ground, moving your back and legs over your head
•a forward/backward roll
OF SHIP/PLANE
6. uncountable the act of moving from side to side so that one side is higher than the other
compare ↑pitch n. (8)
OF FAT
7. countable an area of too much fat on your body, especially around your waist
•Rolls of fat hung over his belt.
LIST OF NAMES
8. countable an official list of names
•the electoral roll (= a list of all the people who can vote in an election)
•The chairman called/took the roll (= called out the names on a list to check that everyone was present).
see also ↑payroll
SOUND
9. countable ~ (of sth) a deep continuous sound
•the distant roll of thunder
•a drum roll
OF DICE
10. countable an act of rolling a ↑dice
•The order of play is decided by the roll of a dice.
PHONETICS
11. = ↑trill (3)
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French rolle (noun), roller (verb), from Latin rotulus ‘a roll’, variant of rotula ‘little wheel’, diminutive of rota.
Thesaurus:
roll noun C
•Wallpaper is sold in rolls.
bundle • • wad • • reel • |especially AmE spool •
a roll/bundle/wad/reel/spool of sth
in a roll/bundle/wad/reel/spool
on a roll/reel/spool
Example Bank:
•Eligible voters had been removed from the voting rolls.
•Falling rolls could lead to smaller class sizes.
•He did a forward roll to celebrate his goal.
•He should be struck off the roll of solicitors.
•Her name was engraved on sport's roll of honour.
•I wiped up the milk with a piece of kitchen roll.
•My daughter's grades improved and she made the honor roll.
•Staff evacuated the building and a roll call was taken outside.
•The appeal against the sentence is Beale's last roll of the dice.
•The chairman called the roll.
•The dog had a good roll on the lawn.
•The local authority has 50 000 pupils on roll.
•There are 340 children on the school roll.
•a roll of banknotes/carpet/film
•Around 600 million toilet rolls are sold each year in the UK.
•Drum roll, please!
•Funding to the school will be reduced because of falling rolls.
•I was late for roll-call.
•Lightning flashed across the sky, immediately followed by a deep roll of thunder.
•She pulled a roll of mints out of her purse and offered him one.
•She put the new roll of film in the camera.
•Take five bucks, go to the bank and get a roll of dimes.
•There were several rolls of carpet stacked at the back of the shop.
•Who would appear on your personal roll of honour?
•You can check that you are on the electoral roll by calling this number.
•a roll of dimes/mints
Idioms: ↑let's roll ▪ ↑on a roll ▪ ↑roll in the hay ▪ ↑roll on …! ▪ ↑roll up your sleeves ▪ ↑roll with the punches ▪ ↑rolled into one ▪ ↑rolling in it ▪ ↑rolling in the aisles ▪ ↑rolling stone gathers no moss
Derived: ↑roll around ▪ ↑roll in ▪ ↑roll over ▪ ↑roll somebody over ▪ ↑roll something back ▪ ↑roll something down ▪ ↑roll something out ▪ ↑roll something over ▪ ↑roll something up ▪ ↑roll up
verb 
TURN OVER
1. intransitive, transitive to turn over and over and move in a particular direction; to make a round object do this
•+ adv./prep. The ball rolled down the hill.
• We watched the waves rolling onto the beach.
•Tears rolled down her cheeks.
•~ sth + adv./prep. Delivery men were rolling barrels across the yard.
2. intransitive, transitive to turn over and over or round and round while remaining in the same place; to make sth do this
•(+ adv./prep.) a dog rolling in the mud
• Her eyes rolled.
•~ sth (+ adv./prep.) She rolled her eyes upwards (= to show surprise or disapproval).
•He was rolling a pencil between his fingers.
3. intransitive, transitive ~ (sb/sth) over (onto sth) | ~ (sb/sth) (over) onto sth to turn over to face a different direction; to make sb/sth do this
•~ over (onto sth) She rolled over to let the sun brown her back.
•~ onto sth He rolled onto his back.
•~ sb/sth (over) (onto sth) I rolled the baby over onto its stomach.
•to roll a dice/die (= in a game)
• (especially NAmE)She rolled her car in a 100 mph crash.
MOVE (AS IF) ON WHEELS
4. intransitive, transitive to move smoothly (on wheels or as if on wheels); to make sth do this
•(+ adv./prep.) The car began to roll back down the hill.
• The traffic rolled slowly forwards.
•Mist was rolling in from the sea.
•~ sth (+ adv./prep.) He rolled the trolley across the room.
MAKE BALL/TUBE
5. transitive, intransitive ~ (sth) (up) (into sth) to make sth/yourself into the shape of a ball or tube
• I rolled the string into a ball.
• We rolled up the carpet.
•a rolled-up newspaper
•I always roll my own (= make my own cigarettes).
•The hedgehog rolled up into a ball.
compare ↑unroll
FOLD CLOTHING
6. transitive to fold the edge of a piece of clothing, etc. over and over on itself to make it shorter
•~ sth up Roll up your sleeves.
•~ sth + adv./prep. She rolled her jeans to her knees.
MAKE STH FLAT
7. transitive ~ sth (out) to make sth flat by pushing sth heavy over it
• Roll the pastry on a floured surface.
WRAP UP
8. transitive ~ sb/sth/yourself (up) in sth to wrap or cover sb/sth/yourself in sth
• Roll the meat in the breadcrumbs.
• He rolled himself up in the blanket.
OF SHIP/PLANE/WALK
9. intransitive, transitive ~ (sth) (+ adv./prep.) to move or make sth move from side to side
•He walked with a rolling gait.
•The ship was rolling heavily to and fro.
compare ↑pitch v. (6)
MAKE SOUND
10. intransitive, transitive to make a long continuous sound
•rolling drums
•Thunder rolled.
•~ sth to roll your r's (= by letting your tongue ↑vibrate with each ‘r’ sound)
MACHINE
11. intransitive, transitive when a machine rolls or sb rolls it, it operates
•They had to repeat the scene because the cameras weren't rolling.
•~ sth Roll the cameras!
more at get/set/start/keep the ball rolling at ↑ball n., roll in his/her grave at ↑grave 1 n., heads will roll at ↑head n., ready to roll at ↑ready adj., roll/trip off the tongue at ↑tongue n.
Verb forms: 
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French rolle (noun), roller (verb), from Latin rotulus ‘a roll’, variant of rotula ‘little wheel’, diminutive of rota.
Thesaurus:
roll verb
1. I, T
•He rolled over onto his back.
turn (sth) over • • flip • • overturn • • tip (sth) over • • capsize •
roll/turn/flip/tip sth over
roll/overturn a car
overturn/capsize a boat
2. T, I (usually used with an adverb or preposition)
•I rolled the string into a ball.
wind • • wrap sb/sth around/round sb/sth • • curl • • coil •
Opp: unroll
roll sth/wind sth/curl into a ball
roll/curl/coil up
Example Bank:
•A tear rolled slowly down her cheek.
•He quickly rolled over and got to his feet.
•He rolled the paper into a tight ball.
•Roll the pastry into a rectangle.
•She carried the magazine tightly rolled up in her hand.
•She lazily rolled her head on the pillow.
•The black car rolled smoothly down the street.
•The boulder easily rolled aside.
•The tigers rolled over and over in the mud.
•Thinly roll out a little icing of each colour.
•A dog was rolling in the mud.
•From the walls a trumpet sounded, a drum rolled and the gate swung open.
•He rolled the trolley across the hall.
•She rolled her eyes upwards.
•Take it in turns to roll the dice.
•Tanks rolled triumphantly into the city.
•The sky had darkened and thunder rolled in the west.
•You have to roll your r's when speaking Spanish.
•I always roll my own.
•It is difficult to swat a fly with a rolled-up newspaper.
See also: ↑bread roll ▪ ↑roll about
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