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The Collaborative International Dictionary
To roll one's r's

Roll \Roll\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Rolled; p. pr. & vb. n. Rolling.] [OF. roeler, roler, F. rouler, LL. rotulare, fr. L. royulus, rotula, a little wheel, dim. of rota wheel; akin to G. rad, and to Skr. ratha car, chariot. Cf. Control, Roll, n., Rotary.]

  1. To cause to revolve by turning over and over; to move by turning on an axis; to impel forward by causing to turn over and over on a supporting surface; as, to roll a wheel, a ball, or a barrel.

  2. To wrap round on itself; to form into a spherical or cylindrical body by causing to turn over and over; as, to roll a sheet of paper; to roll parchment; to roll clay or putty into a ball.

  3. To bind or involve by winding, as in a bandage; to inwrap; -- often with up; as, to roll up a parcel.

  4. To drive or impel forward with an easy motion, as of rolling; as, a river rolls its waters to the ocean.

    The flood of Catholic reaction was rolled over Europe.
    --J. A. Symonds.

  5. To utter copiously, esp. with sounding words; to utter with a deep sound; -- often with forth, or out; as, to roll forth some one's praises; to roll out sentences.

    Who roll'd the psalm to wintry skies.
    --Tennyson.

  6. To press or level with a roller; to spread or form with a roll, roller, or rollers; as, to roll a field; to roll paste; to roll steel rails, etc.

  7. To move, or cause to be moved, upon, or by means of, rollers or small wheels.

  8. To beat with rapid, continuous strokes, as a drum; to sound a roll upon.

  9. (Geom.) To apply (one line or surface) to another without slipping; to bring all the parts of (one line or surface) into successive contact with another, in suck manner that at every instant the parts that have been in contact are equal.

  10. To turn over in one's mind; to revolve.

    Full oft in heart he rolleth up and down The beauty of these florins new and bright.
    --Chaucer.

    To roll one's self, to wallow.

    To roll the eye, to direct its axis hither and thither in quick succession.

    To roll one's r's, to utter the letter r with a trill.