roll back

roll back

1. verb To reduce, limit, decrease, or devalue something, or reset something to a previous level or status. A noun or pronoun can be used between "roll" and "back." The new administration has been slowly rolling back regulatory legislation. If you roll your prices back, it will be much harder to raise them again without a lot of customer complaints.
2. noun A reduction, limit, decrease, or devaluation of something, or a reset of something to a previous level or status. In this usage, the phrase is usually hyphenated. The roll-back of regulatory legislation has angered many consumer groups. This price roll-back should make our customers happy.
See also: back, roll
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

roll something back

to return something to someone by rotating it, as with a wheel or a ball, or moving it back on wheels. I intercepted the ball and rolled it back. Jane rolled back the ball.
See also: back, roll

roll back

[for something] to return, rotating or turning or moving on wheels. I rolled the ball away, thinking it would roll back. It didn't. I struck the golf ball out of the sand trap, but it rolled back.
See also: back, roll

roll prices back

Fig. to reduce prices. The store rolled all its prices back for the sale. The protesters demanded that the big oil companies roll back their prices.
See also: back, price, roll
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

roll back

Decrease, cut back, or reduce, especially prices, as in Unless they roll back oil prices, this summer's tourist traffic will be half of last year's . [c. 1940]
See also: back, roll
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

roll back

v.
1. To reduce the power or influence of something: The government tried to roll back the growing student movement. When the union achieved a more powerful position, management tried to roll it back.
2. To reduce something, as a price or value, to a previous lower level: We had to roll back prices to compete with the discount stores. After the store owner raised prices on toasters, no one bought them, so she had to roll them back.
See also: back, roll
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • add in
  • all right
  • add on
  • a/the feel of (something)
  • (I) wouldn't (do something) if I were you
  • a straw will show which way the wind blows
  • a crack at (someone or something)
  • (you) wanna make something of it?
  • all for the best
  • a thing of the past
References in periodicals archive
From the chart it can be seen that the time scale for the roll back condition is nearly 4X longer than the Altitude-1 reference condition.
Ice crystal icing engine testing in the NASA Glenn Research Center's propulsion systems laboratory: Altitude investigation
TEI's Toronto Chapter appreciates this opportunity to present its comments on the government's announced intention to roll back the corporate income tax rates and possibly not follow through on the repeal of the Ontario Capital Tax.
Rollback of corporate tax reductions: November 24, 2003
They may be hesitant because they receive contradictory guidance: National DDT bans Conflict with WHO guidelines saying it's safe and effective, which in turn conflict with Roll Back Malaria's blueprint for phasing out DDT.
Better living through chemistry: DDT could save millions of Africans from dying of malaria--if only environmentalists would let it
On December 12, 2002, the Bush administration announced a new fire prevention plan to roll back some of Bill Clinton's legacy.
More forests up in smoke? (Insider Report)
Continental and US Airways were reportedly the first to roll back the fare increase by Monday morning.
US airlines reverse leisure fare increase
MALARIA during pregnancy is potentially the most controllable element in the global malaria problem, an effective control strategy is available and the need to target pregnant women and specific settings is highlighted in the WHO Roll Back Malaria initiative.
Controlling malaria in pregnancy
The angel proceeded to roll back the stone at the entrance to the tomb (unless it was already rolled back).
Once upon an empty tomb
The diocese is asking its 90,000 parishioners to make low-interest loans at 3% to the diocese over the next three years to reduce the interest and roll back the crushing debt.
The De Roo debt
In 1996, the House and Senate attempted unsuccessfully to roll back the cents per gallon in additional Federal gas taxes enacted in the low budget bill.
Ways and Means members examine transportation taxes
The right is rolling back the first, and the explicit agenda of the Democratic Leadership Council is to roll back the second.
Socialism: do something about it
LAHORE -- The PPP has pledged to resist all attempts to roll back the 18th Amendment.
PPP to fight all bids to roll back 18th Amendment
Summary: Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India] January 27 (ANI): Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) working president MK Stalin on Saturday demanded the resignation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami over his government's failure to roll back the hiked bus fares in the state.
TN bus fare hike: Stalin demands CM's resignation
New Delhi: Following protests from several MLAs, the Delhi government has decided to roll back the hike in VAT on low-cost footwear and textiles which was proposed in its Budget 2016-17.
Good news! Low-cost footwear, school bags to remain VAT free
Global Banking News-January 16, 2015--US to roll back sanctions on Cuba
US to roll back sanctions on Cuba