a boot or shoe with four small wheels attached that enable the wearer to glide swiftly over a floor or other surface
a device having clamps or straps for attaching such wheels to a boot or shoe
An Americanism dating back to 1860–65
First recorded in 1870–75; v. use of roller skate
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ms. Anderson, who loved to roller skate and attend Michigan State basketball games, was studying to become a doctor because she wanted to help others, her grandfather, Dwayne Thomas, said in a telephone interview.
From New York Times • Feb. 14, 2023
This is now a spot for people who roller skate.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 18, 2022
But "Running Up That Hill" isn't employed merely to set a tone or place us in an era, like neon roller skate wheels or Scrunchies.
From Salon • May 30, 2022
Other times, she stops on less than a dime, causes a defender in transition to roller skate out of the arena, and rises for a quick 3.
From Slate • Mar. 26, 2021
An armor-plated military vehicle encountering no greater obstacle than a lost roller skate.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
