King James Bible Dictionary

The common form of ancient books. The Hebrew word rendered "roll" or "volume" is meghillah, found in Ezra 6:2; Psalms 40:7; Jeremiah 36:2, 6, 23, 28, 29; Ezekiel 2:9; 3:1-3; Zechariah 5:1, 2. "Rolls" (Chald. pl. of sephar, corresponding to Heb. sepher) in Ezra 6:1 is rendered in the Revised Version "archives." In the New Testament the word "volume" (Hebrews 10:7; R.V., "roll") occurs as the rendering of the Greek kephalis, meaning the head or top of the stick or cylinder on which the manuscript was rolled, and hence the manuscript itself. (See BOOK.)

Metallic table
Isaiah 8:1
Book

A book in ancient times consisted of a single long strip of paper or parchment, which was usually kept rolled upon a stick, and was unrolled when a person wished to read it. The roll was usually written on one side only, and hence the particular notice of one that was "written within and without." (Ezekiel 2:10) The writing was arranged in columns.

ROLL, verb transitive [It is usual to consider this word as formed by contraction from the Latin rotula, a little wheel, from rota.]

1. To move by turning on the surface, or with a circular motion in which all parts of the surface are successively applied to a plane; as, to roll a barrel or puncheon; to roll a stone or ball. Sisyphus was condemned to roll a stone to the top of a hill, which, when he had done so, rolled down again, and thus his punishment was eternal.

2. To revolve; to turn on its axis; as, to roll a wheel or a planet.

3. To move in a circular direction.

To dress, to troll the tongue and roll the eye.

4. To wrap round on itself; to form into a circular or cylindrical body; as, to roll a piece of cloth; to roll a sheet of paper; to roll parchment; to roll tobacco.

5. To enwrap; to bind or involve in a bandage or the like.

6. To form by rolling into round masses.

7. To drive or impel any body with a circular motion, or to drive forward with violence or in a stream. The ocean rolls its billows to the shore. A river rolls its water to the ocean.

8. To spread with a roller or rolling pin; as, to roll paste.

9. To produce a periodical revolution.

Heav'n shone and roll'd her motions.

10. To press or level with a roller; as, to roll a field.

To roll one's self, to wallow. Micah 1:10.

ROLL, verb intransitive

1. To move by turning on the surface, or with the successive application of all parts of the surface to a plane; as, a ball or a wheel rolls on the earth; a body rolls on an inclined plane.

2. To move, turn or run on an axis; as a wheel. [In this sense, revolve is more generally used.

3. To run on wheels.

And to the rolling chair is bound.

4. To revolve; to perform a periodical revolution; as the rolling year. Ages roll away.

5. To turn; to move circularly.

And his red eyeballs roll with living fire.

6. To float in rough water; to be tossed about.

Twice ten tempestuous nights I roll'd -

7. To move, as waves or billows, with alternate swells and depressions. Waves roll on waves.

8. To fluctuate; to move tumultuously.

What diff'rent sorrows did within thee roll

9. To be moved with violence; to be hurled.

Down they fell by thousands, angel on archangel roll'd.

10. To be formed into a cylinder or ball; as, the cloth rolls well.

11. To spread under a roller or rolling pin. The paste rolls well.

12. To wallow; to tumble; as, a horse rolls.

13. To rock or move from side; as, a ship rolls in a calm.

14. To beat a drum with strokes so rapid that they can scarcely be distinguished by the ear.

ROLL, noun

1. The act of rolling, or state of being rolled; as the roll of a ball.

2. The thing rolling.

3. A mass made round; something like a ball or cylinder; as a roll of fat; a roll of wool.

4. A roller; a cylinder of wood, iron or stone; as a roll to break clods.

5. A quantity of cloth wound into a cylindrical form; as a roll of woolen or satin; a roll of lace.

6. A cylindrical twist of tobacco.

7. An official writing; a list; a register; a catalogue; as a muster-roll; a court roll

8. The beating of a drum with strokes so rapid as scarcely to be distinguished by the ear.

9. Rolls of court, of parliament, or of any public body, are the parchments on which are engrossed, by the proper officer, the acts and proceedings of that body, and which being kept in rolls, constitute the records of such public body.

10. In antiquity, a volume; a book consisting of leaf, bark, paper, skin or other material on which the ancients wrote, and which being kept rolled or folded, was called in Latin volume, from volvo, to roll Hence.

11. A chronicle; history; annals.

Nor names more noble graced the rolls of fame.

12. Part; office; that is, round of duty, like turn. obsolete

ROLLED, participle passive Moved by turning; formed into a round or cylindrical body; leveled with a roller, as land.

ROLLER, noun

1. That which rolls; that which turns on its own axis; particularly, a cylinder of wood, stone or metal, used in husbandry and the arts. Rollers are of various kinds and used for various purposes.

2. A bandage; a fillet; properly, a long and broad bandage used in surgery.

3. A bird of the magpie kind, about the size of a jay.

A bird of the genus Coracias, found in Europe; called also the German parrot.

ROLLING, participle present tense Turning over; revolving; forming into a cylinder or round mass; leveling, as land.

ROLLING, noun The motion of a ship from side to side.

ROLLING-PIN, noun A round piece of wood, tapering at each end, with which paste is molded and reduced to a proper thickness.

ROLLING-PRESS, noun An engine consisting of two cylinders, by which cloth is calendared, waved and tabbied; also an engine for taking impressions from copper plates; also, a like engine for drawing plates of metal, etc.

ROLLY-POOLY, noun [said to be roll and pool, or roll, ball and pool.]

A game in which a ball, rolling into a certain place, wins.