# roll one's own

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/roll-ones-own
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To create something of which an analogue is commercially available.

## Examples

- I prefer to roll my own cigarettes instead of buying them.
- He likes to roll his own fishing lures to save money.
- Instead of using the standard company software, the developers decided to roll their own custom solution.
- If you cannot find a meal kit that fits your diet, you might have to roll your own recipes using fresh ingredients from the market.
- She decided to roll her own website design because the existing templates looked too generic for her creative business.
- Rather than relying on the widely available commercial frameworks, the lead engineer chose to roll his own, ensuring the system met their specific security requirements.

## Origin

From the practice of smokers who prefer to roll their own cigarettes from loose tobacco and paper rather than purchasing them commercially manufactured. The phrase entered the lexicon through this manual habit and was subsequently adopted by early computer programmers to describe the assembly of their own hardware or software components.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.