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Glite Dictionary
roll bar

roll bar

1 3.5
A strong metal bar inside a vehicle that protects people if it flips over
  • noun
  • /roʊl bɑr/
  • Specialized
translation icon : barra antivuelco
  • Linden's Jeep was open-sided with a roll bar behind the front seats, which I gripped as we humped and twisted over the hills on the left (British) side of the narrow, pitted road.

Examples

  • Certified roll bars or cabs, referred to as rollover protective structures (ROPSs), have been shown to dramatically reduce injuries and fatalities.

    Academic text (2011)

  • If you press it, you can see the roll bar behind the seats actually goes upwards and then locks into place.

  • The pickup, equipped with oversized tires, a roll bar, and a CB whip antenna, bounces over the uneven terrain.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • The car is equipped with a sturdy roll bar to protect passengers in case of a rollover accident.

  • For added safety during off-road driving, a roll bar is essential to prevent injuries in a crash.

  • The new model features a reinforced roll bar that enhances stability while taking sharp turns.

Surface Forms

roll bar singular
roll bars plural

Morphology

roll + bar

The meaning 'a bar used to protect against rolling/rollover' is directly compositional from 'roll' (rotational motion, e.g. a vehicle rolling over) + 'bar' (a long rigid piece). This is a literal, purpose-expressive compound rather than an idiom, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can reasonably infer the MWE's safety-related sense.

Etymology

Roll bar comes from the simple idea of a metal bar put in a vehicle to stop it from rolling or 'rolling over' in a crash. That's why it means 'a metal bar added to protect people and help the vehicle stay steady.'