2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] If you say that someone or something is on a roller coaster , you mean that they go through many sudden or extreme changes in a short time. [JOURNALISM ] □ I've been on an emotional roller-coaster since I've been here.
ro ller-skate (roller-skates , roller-skating , roller-skated )
1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] Roller-skates are shoes with four small wheels on the bottom. □ A boy of about ten came up on roller-skates.
2 VERB If you roller-skate , you move over a flat surface wearing roller-skates. □ [V ] On the day of the accident, my son Gary was roller-skating outside our house. ● roller-skating N‑UNCOUNT □ The craze for roller skating spread throughout the U.S.
rol|lick|ing /rɒ l I k I ŋ/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A rollicking occasion is cheerful and usually noisy. A rollicking book or film is entertaining and enjoyable, and not very serious. □ His diaries are a rollicking read. ● ADV [ADV adj] Rollicking is also an adverb. □ I'm having a rollicking good time.
2 N‑SING If you give someone a rollicking , you tell them off in a very angry way. [BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ 'The boss gave us a rollicking,' said McGoldrick.
roll|ing /roʊ l I ŋ/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] Rolling hills are small hills with gentle slopes that extend a long way into the distance. □ …the rolling countryside of south western France.
2 PHRASE If you say that someone is rolling in it or is rolling in money , you mean that they are very rich. [INFORMAL , EMPHASIS ]
ro ll|ing mill (rolling mills ) N‑COUNT A rolling mill is a machine or factory in which metal is rolled into sheets or bars.
ro ll|ing pin (rolling pins ) N‑COUNT A rolling pin is a cylinder that you roll backwards and forwards over uncooked pastry in order to make the pastry flat.
ro ll|ing stock N‑UNCOUNT Rolling stock is all the engines and carriages that are used on a railway. □ Many stations needed repairs or rebuilding and there was a shortage of rolling stock.
ro ll-neck (roll-necks )
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A roll-neck sweater or a roll-necked sweater is a sweater with a high neck than can be rolled over. [mainly BRIT ]
2 N‑COUNT A roll-neck is a roll-neck sweater. [mainly BRIT ]
ro ll of ho n|our N‑SING A roll of honour is a list of the names of people who are admired or respected for something they have done, such as doing very well in a sport or exam. [BRIT ] in AM, use honor roll
ro ll-on (roll-ons ) N‑COUNT [oft N n] A roll-on is a deodorant or cosmetic that you apply to your body using a container with a ball which turns round in the neck of the container. □ I use unperfumed roll-on deodorant.
ro ll-on roll-o ff ADJ [ADJ n] A roll-on roll-off ship is designed so that cars and lorries can drive on at one end before the ship sails, and then drive off at the other end after the journey. [BRIT ] □ …roll-on roll-off ferries.
roll|over /roʊ loʊvə r / (rollovers )
1 N‑COUNT [usu sing] In a lottery draw, a rollover is a prize that includes the prize money from the previous draw, because nobody won it.
2 N‑COUNT [usu sing] In finance, a rollover is when a loan or other financial arrangement is extended.
ro ll-top de sk (roll-top desks ) also rolltop desk N‑COUNT A roll-top desk is a desk which has a wooden cover which can be pulled down over the writing surface when the desk is not being used.
roll-up /roʊ lʌp/ (roll-ups ) N‑COUNT A roll-up is a cigarette that someone makes for themself, using tobacco and cigarette papers.
roly-poly /roʊ li poʊ li/ ADJ [ADJ n] Roly-poly people are pleasantly fat and round. [INFORMAL ] □ …a short, roly-poly man with laughing eyes.
ROM /rɒ m/
1 N‑UNCOUNT ROM is the permanent part of a computer's memory. The information stored there can be read but not changed. ROM is an abbreviation for 'read-only memory'. [COMPUTING ]
2 → see also CD-ROM
Ro|man /roʊ mən/ (Romans )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Roman means related to or connected with ancient Rome and its empire. □ …the fall of the Roman Empire. ● N‑COUNT A Roman was a citizen of ancient Rome or its empire. □ When they conquered Britain, the Romans brought this custom with them.
2 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Roman means related to or connected with modern Rome. □ …a Roman hotel room. ● N‑COUNT A Roman is someone who lives in or comes from Rome. □ …soccer-mad Romans.
Ro |man a l|pha|bet N‑SING The Roman alphabet is the alphabet that was used by the Romans in ancient times and that is used for writing most western European languages, including English.
Ro |man Ca tho|lic (Roman Catholics )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] The Roman Catholic Church is the same as the Catholic Church. □ …a Roman Catholic priest.
2 N‑COUNT A Roman Catholic is the same as a Catholic . □ Like her, Maria was a Roman Catholic.
Ro |man Ca|tho li|cism N‑UNCOUNT Roman Catholicism is the same as Catholicism .
ro|mance /rəmæ ns, roʊ mæns/ (romances )
1 N‑COUNT A romance is a relationship between two people who are in love with each other but who are not married to each other. □ After a whirlwind romance the couple announced their engagement in July.
2 N‑UNCOUNT Romance refers to the actions and feelings of people who are in love, especially behaviour which is very caring or affectionate. □ He still finds time for romance by cooking candlelit dinners for his girlfriend.