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roll

roll

218 2.7
A long deep sound from drums or thunder
  • noun
  • /roʊl/
translation icon : redoble
  • a drum roll

So do I have a drum roll still?

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Examples

  • Let the drum rolls begin!

  • In the last half of the twentieth century, rock and roll was introduced to the masses.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Through the closed door came the ragged roll of a snare drum and the crash of a cymbal.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • [thunder rolling]

  • We heard a deep roll of thunder that echoed through the valley.

  • The author described the roll of drums that set the mood for the dramatic scene.

  • As the performance began, there was a loud roll from the bass drums that energized the crowd.

Synonyms

boom
vsroll
195 2.1

A long deep loud noise like thunder or a cannon

is used for continuous or repeated sounds rather than one blast
roar
vsroll
142 1.0

A loud deep continuous sound made by animals, crowds, or machines

applies more to thunder or percussion rather than animals or crowds
rumble
vsroll
29 3.1

A low, continuous sound you can feel

can mean either slow continuous or rapid repeated deep sounds
drum roll
vsroll
8 3.1

A quick, continuous beat on a drum that builds suspense before an important moment

is any rapid deep sound beyond just suspenseful beats
peal
vsroll
4 5.8

A deep, long, loud sound often from bells or thunder

covers thunder and drums as well as bell sounds
drumbeat
vsroll
4 1.6

A repeated sound made by hitting a drum

is broader, referring to deep continuous sounds beyond simple beats
drumroll
vsroll
3 3.3

A fast series of drum beats to build excitement before an announcement

is any rapid deep sound beyond just suspenseful beats
grumble
vsroll
2 2.7

A long low dull sound like distant thunder

is stronger and can be rapid or very loud rather than merely dull
rolling
vsroll
1 3.7

A deep continuous sound like thunder or large bells

is the general term that also covers rapid repeated sounds
pealing
vsroll
1 7.7

A deep long sound like thunder or large bells

is broader, including drum and thunder sounds too

Antonyms

660 2.0

A period with no sound or speech

45 1.0

A calm time with little or no sound

Idioms

on a roll
  • Informal
42 5.6

A period of continued success and good luck

ready to roll
  • Informal
29 4.3

Prepared to begin an activity such as a game or meeting

19 3.8

To get ready to do hard work

To give someone a very special welcome, like an important guest

4 3.6

To be easy and pleasant to say

to heads will roll
  • Offensive
2 8.2

Warn that people will be punished or lose their jobs

1 9.2

A short, casual time when two people have sex

Make someone feel very welcome by giving special care

9.1

To throw five dice that show the same number in Yahtzee

Feel so amused that you fall over and move on the floor

6.9

Make someone feel young again when they remember the past

To have sex briefly in a casual way

3.7

To move your eyes away from someone to show you are annoyed or do not believe them

Compounds

552 3.0

A style of popular music from the 1950s with a strong beat

107 1.8

A type of popular music from the 1950s with a strong beat and electric guitars

27 3.2

People call out a list of names to check who is present in a meeting, classroom or group

18 1.4

A Chinese fried food made by wrapping meat and vegetables in thin dough

10 2.5

A small fried snack filled with vegetables and sometimes meat, often served as an appetizer

8 3.1

A quick, continuous beat on a drum that builds suspense before an important moment

A sweet baked roll of dough filled with cinnamon and sugar

Popular music from 1950s America with a strong beat and simple tunes

4 1.1

A small sweet bread made with yeast, often with cinnamon, nuts, or glaze

barrel roll
  • Specialized
2 7.8

A flying stunt where a plane makes one full turn while rolling as it moves forward

A sushi roll that has avocado, crab or imitation crab, and cucumber with rice on the outside

2 3.0

A rich, flaky bread roll shaped like a curved moon

2 1.0

A roll of soft paper for cleaning your bottom after using the toilet

1 1.2

A baked snack of sausage meat wrapped in pastry

1 2.1

A small round bread baked to have a hard, crisp crust

1 3.5

A thin sponge cake spread with jam and rolled into a spiral

roll film
  • Archaic
1 3.9

A strip of material for taking photos that is wound on a spool

A soft, buttery dinner roll folded in half before baking

finger-roll
  • Jargon
1 7.2

A basketball shot made near the basket by rolling the ball off the fingertips

jelly roll
  • Jargon
1 4.2

A roll of cut cotton strips used for quilting

1 3.9

A round crusty bread roll with a crisp top often sprinkled with poppy seeds

A person who plays, sings, or writes rock and roll music

roll bar
  • Specialized
1 3.5

A strong metal bar inside a vehicle that protects people if it flips over

roll-up
  • Jargon
1 6.0

A plan to buy several small companies and join them into a larger one

1 4.0

An object made into a tight tube, like a poster or snack

1 2.7

A soft bread roll with pieces of onion inside or on top

snap roll
  • Specialized
1 9.0

A very quick, complete rotation of a plane around its nose-to-tail line while flying straight

1 1.3

A small round bread made with yeast that has a soft crust and soft inside

8.1

A very kind, innocent person who seems unlikely to hurt others

A list of people who belong to a church

A sweet yeast roll often made with spices, raisins or nuts and served with coffee

A small soft roll made from three dough balls joined in a clover shape

A list of people killed, often during a war or disaster

4.7

A choice with an uncertain result that may be risky

anti-roll
  • Specialized
6.0

A device added to a vehicle, like a bar, to reduce side-to-side rolling

moxa roll
  • Specialized
9.9

A stick of dried mugwort leaves that you light to warm body points in traditional therapy

A round soft bread roll for holding a cooked meat patty and toppings

muster roll
  • Jargon
8.6

A list people use to check who is present in a military unit or ship crew

rent-roll
  • Specialized
9.9

A list showing tenants' names and the rent they pay

A small bundle of tobacco leaves rolled into a cylinder for smoking

roll-on roll-off
  • Specialized
4.6

A ship or ferry that vehicles drive on and off

7.2

A tight piece of underwear you pull on over the hips to shape the body

3.8

A small bottle with a round ball at the top that applies liquid to the skin like deodorant

roll-up
  • Specialized
5.0

A summary that adds together smaller numbers from different parts

A sweet baked roll shaped like a pinwheel filled with jam and cinnamon sugar

A thin sponge cake spread with jam or cream and shaped into a tube

A small round bread roll made with yeast and a crisp crust

How Loud

roar
142 1.0
roll
218 2.7
rumble
29 3.1
murmur
36 4.1

Surface Forms

roll singular
rolls plural

Etymology

Roll for a long sound comes from the idea of repeated, turning motion that makes a continuous noise, like a wheel moving over and over, the same idea as rotate ('turn'). So a roll of thunder or drums is a deep, continuous sound that seems to go on and on.