{"id":10626,"date":"2022-11-16T22:15:29","date_gmt":"2022-11-16T22:15:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=10626"},"modified":"2022-11-16T22:16:37","modified_gmt":"2022-11-16T22:16:37","slug":"on-a-roll-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/on-a-roll-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"On a Roll \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Has the sports team you support won all matches they played in recent memory? You could say that your team is \u201con a roll<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

This post dives into the meaning and origin of this fascinating idiom. Of course, we\u2019ll also show you how to use \u201con a roll\u201d in a sentence.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The common English idiom \u201con a roll<\/strong>\u201d refers to the dice game craps, where players bet on the result of dice rolls.<\/p>\n

You experience a winning streak or a period of extreme luck or success<\/u> if you are \u201con a roll.\u201d<\/p>\n

The idiom \u201con a roll\u201d can refer to success in gambling, business, or life<\/strong>. You can also say that someone who has recently been very productive<\/strong> is \u201con a roll.\u201d<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

Would you like to add the idiomatic saying \u201con a roll\u201d to your everyday lexicon? These example sentences illustrate how to do that:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • \u201cOh, you want to learn how to play Team Fortress 2<\/em>? My brother\u2019s really into that, and he\u2019s been on a roll <\/strong> I bet he could teach you how to win.\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u201cTara was really on a roll<\/strong> during last night\u2019s spelling bee. We\u2019re lucky to have her on the team, but we\u2019ll all have to work harder to keep up with her.\u201d<\/li>\n
  • \u201cKeeping up with chores was impossible as I recovered from surgery, but now I\u2019m on a roll <\/strong> I cleaned the bathroom, vacuumed and mopped the floor, and even decluttered that horrible old shed today. I might take the garage on tomorrow.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Origin<\/h2>\n

    The verb \u201cto roll<\/strong>\u201d has been part of the English language since the 14th<\/sup> century<\/strong>. It means that something turns repeatedly and usually refers to a cylinder or sphere. The word is related to the Latin \u201crota<\/strong>,\u201d meaning \u201cwheel<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

    For some reason, we also speak of \u201crolling the dice<\/strong>.\u201d<\/p>\n

    The gambling game craps<\/strong> is all about rolling dice and betting on the result. Crap shooters (meaning people who play craps) are said to be \u201con a roll<\/strong>\u201d when they consistently bet on the winning outcome<\/strong>. This phenomenon is also known as a \u201cwinning streak.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Winning craps players have been said to be \u201con a roll\u201d since the early<\/strong> 1800s<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    The phrase spread and took on a figurative meaning over time. You don\u2019t have to play craps to be on a roll now; the expression can refer to any \u201cwinning streak.\u201d<\/p>\n

    You can say you\u2019re on a roll if you have been scoring one success after the other at work, been unusually productive, or are winning at any other game.<\/p>\n

    Phrases Similar to On a Roll<\/h2>\n

    Other gambling-related idiomatic phrases include:<\/p>\n

      \n
    • A crap shoot<\/strong> \u2014 this phrase also refers to the game craps and means that the outcome is down to chance.<\/li>\n
    • A long shot<\/strong> \u2014 meaning low odds of success.<\/li>\n
    • An ace up your sleeve <\/strong>\u2014 a hidden asset you can employ strategically.<\/li>\n
    • All bets are off<\/strong> \u2014 everything is uncertain now.<\/li>\n
    • A roll of the dice<\/strong> \u2014 something with an unpredictable outcome.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Phrases Opposite to On a Roll<\/h2>\n

      You may be experiencing a \u201closing streak<\/strong>\u201d if you are not on a roll.<\/p>\n

      Other ways to talk about failure that follows success include:<\/p>\n

        \n
      • Losing your edge.<\/strong><\/li>\n
      • Go up in smoke.<\/strong><\/li>\n
      • Fall to pieces.<\/strong><\/li>\n
      • Go down the toilet.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        What Is the Correct Saying?<\/h2>\n

        The correct saying is \u201con a roll<\/strong>.\u201d This phrase means that someone is experiencing a winning streak or a period of success and good luck without any setbacks.<\/p>\n

        Ways People May Say On a Roll Incorrectly<\/h2>\n

        Some people may associate being on a roll with increased momentum, like a ball that rolls down a hill. While this imagery also works, it is good to remember that the phrase \u201con a roll\u201d refers to gambling.<\/p>\n

        Acceptable Ways to Phrase On a Roll<\/h2>\n

        You can say someone is \u201con a roll\u201d if they experience a period of good fortune or success.<\/p>\n

        The expression is so widespread that nearly everyone will understand what you mean, and it is not too informal for business settings.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Has the sports team you support won all matches they played in recent memory? You could say that your team is \u201con a roll.\u201d This post dives into the meaning and origin of this fascinating idiom. Of course, we\u2019ll also show you how to use \u201con a roll\u201d in a sentence. Meaning The common English […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10626"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10626"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10626\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10628,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10626\/revisions\/10628"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10626"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10626"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10626"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}