roll up
roll up
1. To curl, turn, or crumple something in on itself so that it takes up less space. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "roll" and "up." Would you mind rolling up this tarpaulin for me? He rolled up the napkin into a ball and shoved it into his pocket.
2. To curl, turn, or crumple in on oneself. I rolled up in a ball when they started punching me. The woodlice roll up if you touch them.
3. To surround or enfold someone or something in something else. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "roll" and "up." I let the kids roll me up in the carpet as a game, but then I couldn't get out! I roll the cheese and ham in pastry, then bake it all together for 30 minutes.
4. To arrive (at or to something) in a very casual manner, especially after something was supposed to start. That's the last time I invited Jeff to a dinner party—we were nearly finished with the main course by the time he decided to roll up. I don't think it matters what time we roll up, so let's not rush.
5. To accumulate a great amount of something. We rolled up our fortunes with a line of smartphones that were affordable for nearly everyone in the country to own. The team rolled up a huge lead in the first quarter of the game.
See also: roll, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
roll something up
(into something)1. to include something into something that is being rotated into a coil. I guess I accidentally rolled the letter up into the poster that was lying on my desk. I rolled up the letter into the poster.
2. to make something into a round shape by rolling it. He rolled the gum up into a ball and tossed it away. Jane rolled up the dough into a ball.
See also: roll, up
roll something up
to coil or rotate something into a coil or roll of something. I rolled the poster up and put it back in its mailing tube. I have to roll up this paper.
See also: roll, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
roll up
1. Accumulate, as in He rolled up a fortune in commodity trading, or She rolled up a huge number of votes in this district. [Mid-1800s]
2. Arrive in a vehicle, as in They rolled up in a taxi at exactly eight o'clock.
See also: roll, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
roll up
v.
1. To fold or turn something inward several times in order to make it more compact: Please roll up the poster before it gets torn. We rolled the carpet up so we could dance on the wooden floor.
2. To assume a coiled or spiral form: The snail rolled up in its shell.
3. To arrive in a vehicle: The celebrity rolled up to the theater in a white limousine.
4. To envelop or enfold something in a covering: Roll the dirty laundry up in a sheet. I rolled up the rags in a tarp and threw them out.
5. To accumulate or amass something: The investors rolled up a large fortune.
See also: roll, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- crumple up
- smash in
- angle
- angling
- orient
- orient to
- orient to (something)
- fill in
- fill out
- spiff up