# roll

> English word · Verb · IPA /ɹəʊl/ · frequency rank #1,838

## Definitions
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.
2. To wrap (something) round on itself; to form into a spherical or cylindrical body by causing to turn over and over.
3. To bind or involve by winding, as with a bandage; to enwrap; often with up.
4. To drive, impel, or flow onward with a steady, wave-like motion.
5. To utter copiously, especially with sounding words; to utter with a deep sound; — often with forth, or out.
6. To press, level, spread, or form with a roller or rollers.
7. To move upon rollers or wheels.
8. To tumble in gymnastics; to do a somersault.
9. To leave or begin a journey; sometimes with out.
10. To leave or begin a journey; sometimes with out.
11. To leave or begin a journey; sometimes with out.
12. To beat with rapid, continuous strokes, as a drum; to sound a roll upon.
13. 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.
14. To turn over in one's mind, as of deep thoughts; to (cause to) be considered thoroughly.
15. To behave in a certain way; to adopt a general disposition toward a situation.
16. To throw dice.
17. To throw dice.
18. To throw dice.
19. 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.
20. To rotate about the fore-and-aft axis, causing its sides to go up and down. Compare pitch, yaw.
21. To rotate about the fore-and-aft axis, causing its sides to go up and down. Compare pitch, yaw.
22. To beat up; to assault.
23. To (cause to) betray secrets or testify for the prosecution.
24. To be under the influence of MDMA (a psychedelic stimulant, also known as ecstasy).
25. To (cause to) film.
26. To slip past (a defender) with the ball.
27. To have a rolling aspect.
28. To make a loud or heavy rumbling noise.
29. To utter with an alveolar trill.
30. To enrobe in toilet-paper (as a prank or spectacle).
31. To create a customized version of.
32. To engage in sparring in the context of jujitsu or other grappling disciplines.
33. To load ocean freight cargo onto a vessel other than the one it was meant to sail on.
34. To briskly arpeggiate (a chord), typically in an upward motion.
35. 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.

## Etymology
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.
Displaced native English welt.

## Easily confused with
- **row** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-row)
- **Roy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-roy)
- **Ron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-ron)
- **ROM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-rom)
- **rot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-rot)
- **ROS** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-ros)
- **roo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-roo)
- **RSL** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-rsl)
- **room** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-room)
- **rule** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-rule)
- **rose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-rose)
- **roof** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-roof)
- **Rome** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-rome)
- **root** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-root)
- **Ross** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-ross)
- **rope** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-rope)
- **rows** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-rows)
- **Rosa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-rosa)
- **Rory** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-rory)
- **Roma** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/roll-vs-roma)

## Common misspellings (4)
`orll`, `rlol`, `rol`, `rroll`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/roll