rolling

[ roh-ling ]

/ ˈroʊ lɪŋ /

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noun

the action, motion, or sound of anything that rolls.

adjective

moving by revolving or turning over and over.

rising and falling in gentle slopes, as land: rolling hills.

moving in undulating billows, as clouds or waves: Jessica felt a peace steal over her as she watched the rolling waves.

rocking or swaying from side to side: The rolling movement of the train car lulled most of the passengers to sleep.

turning or folding over, as a collar.

producing a deep, continuous sound: rolling thunder.

steadily moving onward in a series of stages: a rolling program of renovations.

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Origin of rolling

First recorded in 1400–50; Late Middle English; see roll, -ing¹, -ing²

OTHER WORDS FROM rolling

roll·ing·ly, adverb

Words nearby rolling

rolliche, rollick, rollicking, rollicksome, roll in, rolling, rolling bearing, rolling boil, rolling-element bearing, rolling friction, rolling hitch

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use rolling in a sentence

For irregular items, sets of shoes and toys, or odds and ends, this rolling underbed cart from Whitmor is a good alternative to traditional under bed enclosures.
The best under-bed storage solutions|PopSci Commerce Team|September 9, 2020|Popular-Science
Last month, the state’s main grid operator ordered a series of rolling blackouts, California’s first unplanned outages in nearly two decades, as millions of air conditioners strained to keep up with blistering heat waves.
In defense of California|James Temple|September 4, 2020|MIT Technology Review
The rolling blackouts offered just a small hint of what’s likely to come in California and far beyond.
Air conditioning technology is the great missed opportunity in the fight against climate change|James Temple|September 1, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Canoo has said this is intended to leverage the future potential of autonomous driving, and some of Canoo’s concept art shows the vehicle converted into something akin to a rolling lounge—with no driver.
Electric-vehicle startup Canoo to go public, joining the wave of companies chasing Tesla’s success|dzanemorris|August 18, 2020|Fortune

Before she went, the students could see that there was a desk with books piled high in a bookcase, and a rolling chair.
5 Psychology Terms You’re Probably Misusing (Ep. 334 Rebroadcast)|Stephen J. Dubner|January 9, 2020|Freakonomics
“Gently rolling hills” roll not-so-gently under my tires, but the English countryside scenery is soporific.
Biking With the Bard|Kara Cutruzzula|December 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Mullins quotes Stewart from an interview with Rolling Stone.
David Gregory's 'Meet the Press' Eviction Exposed in Washingtonian Takedown|Lloyd Grove|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In the same house where Rolling Stone's Jackie says she was.
I Was Gang Raped at a UVA Frat 30 Years Ago, and No One Did Anything|Liz Seccuro|December 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But after Rolling Stone's rape story debacle, how much momentum does the call to ban fraternities have left?
Fraternities in a Post-UVA World|Samantha Allen|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Imagine driving through the Scottish countryside, rolling through a vast landscape of green hills and cloudy skies.
Ester Elchies, The Estate Built By Whiskey||December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sol laughed out of his whiskers, with a big, loose-rolling sound, and sat on the porch without waiting to be asked.
The Bondboy|George W. (George Washington) Ogden
The first steam rolling mill, with the exception of the one at Soho, was put up at Bradley ironworks.
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham|Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell
The face of the country through this part of Ireland is moderately rolling, though some fair hills appear in the distance.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
From the 5th to the 10th of July, we had continued stormy and cold weather, with a heavy sea, and great rolling of the ship.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
Like me, he entered railway life in 1867; but, p. 69unlike me, has not been a rolling stone.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow

British Dictionary definitions for rolling

rolling

/ (ˈrəʊlɪŋ) /

adjective

having gentle rising and falling slopes; undulatingrolling country

progressing or spreading by stages or by occurrences in different places in succession, with continued or increasing effectivenessthree weeks of rolling strikes disrupted schools

subject to regular review and updatinga rolling plan for overseas development

deeply resounding; reverberatingrolling thunder

slang extremely rich

that may be turned up or downa rolling hat brim

adverb

slang swaying or staggering (in the phrase rolling drunk)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

rolling

Origin of rolling

OTHER WORDS FROM rolling

Words nearby rolling

Words related to rolling

How to use rolling in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for rolling