take roll
To call out the names of people on a list to check their presence; to take attendance.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“The teacher starts every class by taking roll.”
“Please sit in your assigned seats while I take roll at the start of the lecture.”
“The professor paused his opening remarks to take roll, ensuring that every student enrolled in the seminar was present before he began the discussion.”
From the noun *roll*, signifying a catalogue or list of names. The term reflects the physical form of early records, which were inscribed on continuous lengths of parchment or paper and stored in a rolled state.
- 01
be taken ill
To become ill.
- 02
call roll
To make a roll call; to take attendance.
- 03
cross to take up
Alternative form of cross to bear.
- 04
dice roll
Something unpredictable or unexpected.
- 05
forget to take one's medication this morning
To be annoyed or irritable, or to behave in an ill-mannered way, particularly in the morning.
- 06
get taken in
To be fooled; to fall for.
- 07
give and take
A process of compromise or accommodation.
- 08
give someone an inch and someone will take a mile
Alternative form of give them an inch and they'll take a mile.
Last updated August 10, 2026