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Glite Dictionary
drum roll

drum roll

8 3.1
A quick, continuous beat on a drum that builds suspense before an important moment
  • noun
  • /drʌm roʊl/
translation icon : redoble
  • A drum roll began, and people quieted down.
  • Drum roll, please

All right, can I get a drum roll, please?

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Examples

  • Can I get a drum roll, please?

    Descendants 3 (2019)

  • Before announcing the winner, the host asked for a drum roll to build excitement.

  • All right, can I get a drum roll, please?

    Shawn Ryan Show

  • So can we get a drum roll please?

  • And thank you, drum roll please.

    ReasonTV

  • Can I get a drum roll?

    I Love My Mum (2019)

  • so here it is, the big reveal. Drum roll, please.

  • There is a quick drum roll, and applause breaks out.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Drum roll, please...

    Academic text (1999)

  • The crowd waited in anticipation as the band played a drum roll before the surprise act.

Synonyms

roll
vsdrum roll
218 2.7

A long deep sound from drums or thunder

is specifically a quick pattern to build suspense or emphasis
drumbeat
vsdrum roll
4 1.6

A repeated sound made by hitting a drum

is a rapid, suspense-building pattern used for emphasis
steady drumbeat
vsdrum roll
1 3.4

A regular rhythm from drums that marks time and creates a mood

is instead a faster, more dramatic pattern for emphasis
drum-beating
vsdrum roll
3.9

Playing a drum loudly to attract attention or show support

is a fast, continuous flourish meant to build suspense

Surface Forms

drum roll singular
drum rolls plural

Morphology

drum + roll

The meaning 'a rapid, continuous beating on a drum' is directly and compositionally built from 'drum' (the instrument) + 'roll' (a continuous sound/action), so a learner who knows both words can infer a sequence of drum sounds. This noun+noun compound pattern is transparent and cross-linguistically common, making it immediately understandable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Drum roll comes from the real action of a drummer quickly beating a drum in a steady roll to make people wait and feel excited. So, a drum roll now means a short, rising sound or moment that creates 'suspense' before a big announcement.