# roll /ˈɹoʊɫ/ (US) · /ɹˈəʊl/ (UK) Source: https://englishreference.com/word/roll Updated: 2026-06-19 ## Senses ### 1. to move by turning verb · CEFR A2 to move by turning over and over, like a ball or a wheel. For teachers: to move along a surface by revolving on an axis; to impel forward with a revolving motion. - The ball rolled across the grass and stopped near the tree. - The heavy marble sphere began to roll down the incline, gathering significant momentum as it approached the base of the pedestal. ### 2. to wrap or shape verb · CEFR B1 to wrap something around itself to make a tube or a ball. For teachers: to wrap a flexible material around itself or an object to form a cylindrical or spherical shape. - She rolled the poster carefully so it wouldn't get damaged in the mail. - The chef demonstrated how to roll the pastry dough tightly around the filling to ensure the strudel maintained its shape during baking. ### 3. to flatten with a tool verb · CEFR B1 to make something flat or smooth using a heavy tube. For teachers: to press, level, or spread a substance using a roller. - You need to roll the dough until it is very thin. - After the asphalt was poured, the construction crew used a steamroller to roll the surface until it was perfectly level with the existing pavement. ### 4. to throw dice verb · CEFR A2 to throw dice in a game. For teachers: to throw one or more dice to determine a random outcome in a game of chance. - It is your turn to roll the dice and move your piece. - The player needed to roll a double six to win the game, but the dice landed on a disappointing three and four. ### 5. to start moving or filming verb · CEFR B1 · Informal to start a process, a journey, or a camera recording. For teachers: to begin an operation or journey; in media, to begin recording or filming. - We need to get this project rolling if we want to finish on time. - The director shouted for the cameras to roll, and the set immediately fell into a disciplined silence as the lead actor began his monologue. ### 6. bread noun · CEFR A2 a small, individual piece of bread. For teachers: a small, often rounded individual portion of bread. - I had a chicken salad roll for lunch today. - The bakery is famous for its crusty dinner rolls, which are served warm with herb-infused butter at every meal. ### 7. an official list noun · CEFR B2 · Formal an official list of names, like students in a class. For teachers: an official document or register containing a catalogue of names or items. - The teacher called the roll to see who was absent. - The historical society maintains a roll of all the soldiers who served in the local regiment during the nineteenth century. ### 8. a tube of material noun · CEFR A2 a long piece of paper, cloth, or film wrapped around a tube. For teachers: a quantity of flexible material wound into a cylindrical form. - Can you buy another roll of paper towels at the store? - The printer required a fresh roll of high-gloss photographic paper before the final proofs could be generated for the client's approval. ### 9. a deep sound noun · CEFR B2 a long, deep, rumbling sound like thunder or a drum. For teachers: a heavy, reverberatory sound or a rapid succession of drumbeats. - We heard a long roll of thunder in the distance. - The performance concluded with a dramatic drum roll that built in intensity until the final crash of the cymbals. ### 10. side-to-side movement noun · CEFR C1 · Technical the way a ship or plane tilts from side to side. For teachers: the oscillation of a vessel or aircraft about its longitudinal axis. - The ship's roll made several passengers feel seasick. - The pilot corrected the aircraft's roll using the ailerons to maintain a level flight path despite the heavy crosswinds. ### 11. a period of success noun · CEFR B2 · Informal a period of time when you are very successful or lucky. For teachers: a sustained period of success or luck, typically used in the idiom 'on a roll'. - Our team is on a roll; we have won the last five games. - After securing three major contracts in a single month, the sales department felt they were truly on a roll. ## Examples - I need a new roll of paper towels. - The photographer loaded a fresh roll of film into his camera before the wedding started. - He unrolled the ancient scroll, a fragile roll of parchment that contained maps of forgotten trade routes and detailed astronomical charts. --- 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.