Explanation at your level:
You can roll a ball. It moves on the ground. A bread roll is food. It is round. You eat it. These are simple ways to use the word.
When you roll something, you turn it over. You can roll a carpet or a piece of paper. A dinner roll is a common side dish at restaurants.
The verb roll describes continuous movement. We often use it with prepositions like 'up' or 'down'. For example, 'roll down the window' or 'roll up the map'. It is very common in daily instructions.
Beyond physical movement, roll has figurative meanings. We use it in business for 'rolling out' a new product. It also implies momentum, as in 'the project is finally rolling'.
In advanced English, roll often appears in complex phrasal verbs. We discuss 'rolling back' legislation or 'rolling over' debt. The word carries a sense of continuous, circular, or repetitive progression in formal analysis.
At the C2 level, roll evokes imagery of grand, sweeping landscapes or historical processes. We might describe the 'rolling hills' of the countryside or the 'rolling thunder' of a storm. It captures both the mechanical nature of rotation and the fluid, rhythmic quality of nature.
30秒でわかる単語
- Roll means to move by turning.
- It is also a type of bread.
- It has many phrasal verbs.
- It is a regular verb.
When we talk about roll, we are usually describing motion. Imagine a ball moving across the grass; it rolls. This word is incredibly versatile because it describes both the action of turning over and the physical shape of an object.
Beyond movement, roll appears in everyday life as a noun. You might eat a bread roll with soup or use a roll of tape to fix a poster. It is a fundamental word that bridges the gap between physical action and common household objects.
The word roll comes to us from the Old French roller, which traces back to the Latin rotulare, meaning 'to rotate.' It is deeply connected to the word wheel.
Historically, it was used to describe scrolls of parchment that were wound up. This is why we still use the term 'roll' for things that are coiled, like a roll of film or fabric. It has been a staple of the English language since the 13th century.
You use roll in many ways depending on the context. You can roll a die in a game, or roll up your sleeves when you are ready to work hard.
In formal settings, you might hear about a 'roll call' to check attendance. In casual conversation, you might say someone is 'on a roll' when they are having a streak of good luck. It is a very flexible verb that fits into almost any register.
Idioms make language fun! To be on a roll means you are having a period of great success. Roll with the punches means to adapt to difficult situations easily.
Heads will roll implies that people will be punished for a failure. Roll out the red carpet means to treat someone like a VIP. Finally, rock and roll is a classic musical genre that changed the world.
As a verb, roll is regular: rolls, rolling, rolled. As a noun, the plural is rolls. The IPA is /roʊl/ in American English and /rəʊl/ in British English.
It rhymes with bowl, stroll, toll, goal, and soul. Pay attention to the 'o' sound, which is a long vowel that glides into a subtle 'w' sound at the end.
Fun Fact
It comes from the same root as 'rotary'.
Pronunciation Guide
starts with a soft r, ends with a dark l
starts with a strong r, ends with a dark l
Common Errors
- dropping the r
- making the l too light
- mispronouncing the o
Rhymes With
Difficulty Rating
easy
moderate
moderate
easy
What to Learn Next
Prerequisites
Learn Next
上級
Grammar to Know
Phrasal Verbs
Roll up
Homophones
Roll vs Role
Regular Verbs
Rolled
Examples by Level
The ball will roll.
ball moves
future tense
I eat a roll.
bread
noun usage
Roll the dice.
game
imperative
He rolls the car.
move
present simple
She has a roll.
possession
verb have
Can you roll it?
ask
modal verb
The roll is hot.
bread
adjective
Do not roll it.
negative
imperative negative
Roll the paper into a tube.
The car rolled down the hill.
I want a buttered roll.
Please roll the ball back.
They roll the carpet out.
The dog likes to roll in grass.
He rolled his eyes at me.
We need a roll of tape.
The company will roll out the update soon.
She rolled up her sleeves to help.
He is on a roll today.
The thunder rolled across the sky.
Can you roll the window down?
The team is rolling to victory.
I bought a roll of film.
They rolled the dice on the project.
We must roll with the punches.
The government will roll back the taxes.
The landscape featured rolling hills.
He rolled over in his sleep.
The news is rolling in.
She rolled the dough flat.
They are rolling in money.
The credits started to roll.
The policy change was rolled out gradually.
The drums rolled before the announcement.
The economy is rolling along nicely.
He rolled his shoulders to relax.
The waves rolled onto the shore.
The committee called the roll.
The plan was rolled into a larger strategy.
She rolled the idea around in her head.
The rolling gait of the sailor was unmistakable.
They rolled their eyes at the absurdity of the claim.
The thunder rolled ominously in the distance.
The company rolled over the debt to next year.
A rolling stone gathers no moss.
The scroll was rolled tight.
The rolling laughter filled the room.
He rolled the dice one last time.
よく使う組み合わせ
Idioms & Expressions
"on a roll"
having success
She is on a roll.
casual"roll with the punches"
adapt
Just roll with the punches.
casual"heads will roll"
punishment
If we fail, heads will roll.
dramatic"roll out the red carpet"
welcome
They rolled out the red carpet.
neutral"rock and roll"
music
I love rock and roll.
neutral"roll your eyes"
annoyance
Don't roll your eyes at me.
casualEasily Confused
same sound
role is a part in a play
He played a lead role.
rhymes
a long stick
The flag is on a pole.
rhymes
a fee
Pay the road toll.
rhymes
a dish
Eat from a bowl.
Sentence Patterns
Subject + roll + object
I roll the ball.
Subject + roll + preposition
The car rolled down.
Verb + roll + up
Roll up the map.
Subject + is + on a roll
He is on a roll.
Subject + roll + back + object
Roll back the tax.
語族
Nouns
Verbs
Adjectives
関連
How to Use It
9
Formality Scale
よくある間違い
roll is transitive here
singular noun
subject-verb agreement
phrasal verb placement
wrong preposition
Tips
Memory Palace
Imagine a giant bread roll rolling down your hallway.
Native usage
Use 'roll with it' when things go wrong.
Bread
Dinner rolls are common in the US.
Regular verb
Just add -ed for past tense.
The 'L'
Make sure the L is at the back of your throat.
Don't confuse
Roll vs Role (a part in a play).
Rock and Roll
It started as a dance term.
Flashcards
Use pictures of a ball and bread.
Phrasal verbs
Roll up, roll out, roll over.
Rhyming
Practice with 'bowl' and 'toll'.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
R-O-L-L: Round Objects Like Liquids (flow)
Visual Association
A ball rolling down a hill
Word Web
チャレンジ
Try to say 'roll' while rolling a pen on your desk.
語源
Old French / Latin
Original meaning: to rotate
文化的な背景
None
Used in school for attendance and in dining for bread.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
at school
- roll call
- roll of paper
at dinner
- dinner roll
- pass the roll
at work
- roll out a plan
- rolling update
at play
- roll the dice
- on a roll
Conversation Starters
"Are you on a roll today?"
"Do you like dinner rolls?"
"What is your favorite rock and roll band?"
"Have you ever rolled down a hill?"
"Do you roll your eyes when annoyed?"
Journal Prompts
Describe a time you were on a roll.
What is your favorite type of bread roll?
Write about a rolling landscape.
How do you roll with the punches?
よくある質問
8 問It is both.
Yes, it is a type of bread.
To introduce something new.
Yes, it ends in -ed.
Like 'pole' with an r.
A list of names checked.
Yes, it rolls on tires.
A hill that looks like a wave.
自分をテスト
The ball will ___.
ball moves by rolling
Which is a food?
a bread roll is food
To be on a roll means to be lucky.
it means a streak of success
Word
意味
phrasal verb meanings
verb-article-noun
スコア： /5
Summary
To roll is to turn over, whether you are a ball, a bread roll, or a project gaining momentum.
- Roll means to move by turning.
- It is also a type of bread.
- It has many phrasal verbs.
- It is a regular verb.
Memory Palace
Imagine a giant bread roll rolling down your hallway.
Native usage
Use 'roll with it' when things go wrong.
Bread
Dinner rolls are common in the US.
Regular verb
Just add -ed for past tense.
