Roll, rōl, v.i. to turn like a wheel: to turn on an axis: to be formed into a roll or cylinder: to move, as waves: to be tossed about: to move tumultuously: to be hurled: to rock, or move from side to side: to wallow: to spread under a roller: to sound as a drum beaten rapidly: to move onward.—v.t. to cause to roll: to turn on an axis: to wrap round on itself: to enwrap: to drive forward: to move upon wheels: to press or smooth with rollers: to beat rapidly, as a drum.—n. act of rolling: that which rolls: a revolving cylinder making sheets, plates, &c.: a roller: that which is rolled up—hence parchment, paper, &c. wound into a circular form: a document: a register: a kind of fancy bread: the continued sound of a drum, of thunder, &c.: a swagger or rolling gait.—adj. Roll′-about′, podgy.—ns. Roll′-call, the calling of the roll or list of names, as in the army; Roll′-cū′mūlus, a form of strato-cumulus cloud; Roll′er, that which rolls: a cylinder used for rolling, grinding, &c.: one of a family of Picarian birds: a long, broad bandage: (pl.) long heavy waves; Roll′er-skate, a skate mounted on wheels or rollers for use on asphalt or some other smooth surface.—adj. Roll′ing, modulating: moving on wheels: making a continuous sound.—ns. Roll′ing-mill, a place in which metal is made into sheets, bars, rails, or rods, by working it between pairs of rolls: a machine for rolling metal, &c., into any required form, or for crushing materials between rollers; Roll′ing-pin, a cylindrical piece of wood for rolling dough, paste, &c. to any required thickness; Roll′ing-press, a press of two cylinders for rolling or calendering cloth; Roll′ing-stock, the stock or store of locomotive-engines, carriages, &c. of a railway; Roll′way, an incline: a shoot.—Master of the Rolls, the head of the Record-office. [O. Fr. roler, roeler (Fr. rouler)—Low L. rotulāre—L. rotula, a little wheel—rota, a wheel.]
Rollick, rol′lik, v.i. to move or act with a careless, swaggering, frolicsome air:—pr.p. rol′licking; pa.p. rol′licked.—adj. Rol′licking, careless, swaggering. [Prob. roll, with dim. suffix.]
Rollock. See Rowlock.
Roly-poly, rōl′i-pōl′i, n. a pudding made of a sheet of paste, covered with sweetmeats, and rolled up: a stout podgy person: an old game in which balls are bowled into holes or thrown into hats placed on the ground.—adj. round, podgy.
Rom, rom, n. a gipsy. [Gipsy rom, man, husband.]
Romage, rum′āj, n. (Shak.) tumult. [Rummage.]
Romaic, ro-mā′ik, n. modern Greek, the language of the descendants of the Eastern Romans: Hellenic.—adj. pertaining to the foregoing.—n. Romā′ika, a modern Greek dance. [Fr. Romaïque—modern Gr. Rhōmaikos—Rhōmē, Rome.]
Romal, rō-mal′, n. a braided thong of leather, serving as a horseman's whip. [Sp. ramal—L. ramale—ramus, a branch.]
Romalea, rō-mā′lē-a, n. a genus of large-bodied, short-winged locusts. [Gr. rhōmē, strength.]
Roman, rō′man, adj. pertaining to Rome or to the Romans: pertaining to the Roman Catholic religion, papal: (print.) noting the letters commonly used, as opposed to Italics: written in letters (as IV.), not in figures (as 4).—n. a native or citizen of Rome: a Romanist in religion: a Roman letter or type.—adj. Roman′ic, pertaining to Rome or its people.—n. Romanisā′tion.—v.t. Rō′manīse, to convert to the Roman Catholic religion: to Latinise: to represent by Roman letters or types.—v.i. to conform to Roman Catholic opinions or practices: to print in Roman letters.—n. Romanī′ser.—adj. Rō′manish, pertaining to Romanism.—ns. Rō′manism, the tenets of the Roman Catholic Church; Rō′manist, a Roman Catholic.—adj. Roman Catholic.—adj. Rō′mano-Byzan′tine, pertaining to an early medieval style of architecture in which Byzantine and Western elements are combined.—ns. Rome′-penn′y, -scot, Peter's pence.—adv. Rome′ward, toward the Roman Catholic Church.—adj. Rō′mish, belonging to Rome, or to the Roman Catholic Church.—n. Rō′mist.—Roman architecture, a style characterised by the size and boldness of its round arches and vaults, &c.—baths, aqueducts, basilicas, amphitheatres, &c.; Roman candle, a firework discharging a succession of white or coloured stars; Roman Catholic, denoting those who recognise the spiritual supremacy of the Pope or Bishop of Rome—as a noun, a member of the Roman Catholic Church; Roman Catholicism, the doctrines and polity of the Roman Catholic Church collectively; Roman cement, a cement which hardens under water; Roman collar, a collar made of lawn or fine linen, bound and stitched, worn by priests over a black collar, by bishops over a purple, and cardinals over a scarlet; Roman Empire, the ancient empire of Rome, divided in the 4th century into the Eastern and Western Empires; Roman law, the civil law.—Holy Roman Empire (see Holy). [L. Romanus—Roma, Rome.]