8. (Zoöl.) ANy insect whose larva rolls up leaves; a leaf roller. see
Tortrix.
9. [CF. F. rollier.] (Zoöl.) Any one of numerous species of Old World
picarian birds of the family Coraciadæ. The name alludes to their habit
of suddenly turning over or "tumbling" in flight.
Many of the species are brilliantly colored. The common European
species (Coracias garrula) has the head, neck, and under parts light
blue varied with green, the scapulars chestnut brown, and the tail
blue, green, and black. The broad-billed rollers of India and Africa
belong to the genus Eurystomus, as the oriental roller (E. orientalis),
and the Australian roller, or dollar bird (E. Pacificus). The latter is
dark brown on the head and neck, sea green on the back, and bright blue
on the throat, base of the tail, and parts of the wings. It has a
silvery-white spot on the middle of each wing.
10. (Zoöl.) Any species of small ground snakes of the family
Tortricidæ.
Ground roller (Zoöl.), any one of several species of Madagascar rollers
belonging to Atelornis and allied genera. They are nocturnal birds, and
feed on the ground. -- Roller bolt, the bar in a carriage to which the
traces are attached; a whiffletree. [Eng.] -- Roller gin, a cotton gin
inn which rolls are used for separating the seeds from the fiber. --
Roller mill. See under Mill. -- Roller skate, a skate which has small
wheels in the place of the metallic runner; -- designed for use in
skating upon a smooth, hard surface, other than ice.
Roll"ey (-), n. [Probably fr. roll.] A small wagon used for the
underground work of a mine. Tomlison.
Rol"lic (rl"lk), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Rollicked (-lkt); p. pr. & vb. n.
Rollicking.] [Corrupt. fr. frolic, under the influence of roll.] To
move or play in a careless, swaggering manner, with a frolicsome air;
to frolic; to sport; commonly in the form rollicking. [Colloq.]
He described his friends as rollicking blades.
T. Hook.
Roll"ing (?), a. 1. Rotating on an axis, or moving along a surface by
rotation; turning over and over as if on an axis or a pivot; as, a
rolling wheel or ball.
2. Moving on wheels or rollers, or as if on wheels or rollers; as, a
rolling chair.
3. Having gradual, rounded undulations of surface; as, a rolling
country; rolling land. [U.S.]
Rolling bridge. See the Note under Drawbridge. -- Rolling circle of a
paddle wheel, the circle described by the point whose velocity equals
the velocity of the ship. J. Bourne. -- Rolling fire (Mil.), a
discharge of firearms by soldiers in line, in quick succession, and in
the order in which they stand. -- Rolling friction, that resistance to
motion experienced by one body rolling upon another which arises from
the roughness or other quality of the surfaces in contact. -- Rolling
mill, a mill furnished with heavy rolls, between which heated metal is
passed, to form it into sheets, rails, etc. -- Rolling press. (a) A
machine for calendering cloth by pressure between revolving rollers.
(b) A printing press with a roller, used in copperplate printing. --
Rolling stock, or Rolling plant, the locomotives and vehicles of a
railway. -- Rolling tackle (Naut.), tackle used to steady the yards
when the ship rolls heavily. R. H. Dana, Jr.
Roll"ing-pin` (?), n. A cylindrical piece of wood or other material,
with which paste or dough may be rolled out and reduced to a proper
thickness.
Roll"way` (?), n. A place prepared for rolling logs into a stream.
Roll"y-po`ly (?), n. A kind of pudding made of paste spread with fruit,
rolled into a cylindrical form, and boiled or steamed. -- a. Shaped
like a rolly-poly; short and stout. [Written also roly- poly.]
Roll"y-pool`y (?), n. [Etymol. uncertain.] A game in which a ball,
rolling into a certain place, wins. [Written also rouly-pouly.]
Ro"ly-po`ly (?), n. & a. Rolly- poly.
Rom"age (?), n. & v. See Rummage. [Obs.] Shak.
Ro*ma"ic (?), a. [NGr. &?;&?;&?;&?;: cf. F. romaïque. See Roman.] Of or
relating to modern Greece, and especially to its language. -- n. The
modern Greek language, now usually called by the Greeks Hellenic or
Neo-Hellenic.
The Greeks at the time of the capture of Constantinople were proud of
being "Romai^oi, or Romans . . . Hence the term Romaic was the name
given to the popular language. . . . The Greek language is now spoken
of as the Hellenic language. Encyc. Brit.
Ro"man (?), a. [L. Romanus, fr. Roma Rome: cf. F. romain. Cf. Romaic,
Romance, Romantic.] 1. Of or pertaining to Rome, or the Roman people;
like or characteristic of Rome, the Roman people, or things done by
Romans; as, Roman fortitude; a Roman aqueduct; Roman art.
2. Of or pertaining to the Roman Catholic religion; professing that
religion.
3. (Print.) (a) Upright; erect; -- said of the letters or kind of type
ordinarily used, as distinguished from Italic characters. (b) Expressed
in letters, not in figures, as I., IV., i., iv., etc.; -- said of
numerals, as distinguished from the Arabic numerals, 1, 4, etc.
Roman alum (Chem.), a cubical potassium alum formerly obtained in large
quantities from Italian alunite, and highly valued by dyers on account
of its freedom from iron. -- Roman balance, a form of balance nearly
resembling the modern steelyard. See the Note under Balance, n., 1. --
Roman candle, a kind of firework (generally held in the hand),
characterized by the continued emission of shower of sparks, and the
ejection, at intervals, of brilliant balls or stars of fire which are
thrown upward as they become ignited. -- Roman Catholic, of, pertaining
to, or the religion of that church of which the pope is the spiritual
head; as, a Roman Catholic priest; the Roman Catholic Church. -- Roman
cement, a cement having the property of hardening under water; a
species of hydraulic cement. -- Roman law. See under Law. -- Roman
nose, a nose somewhat aquiline. -- Roman ocher, a deep, rich orange
color, transparent and durable, used by artists. Ure. -- Roman order
(Arch.), the composite order. See Composite, a., 2.
Ro"man, n. 1. A native, or permanent resident, of Rome; a citizen of
Rome, or one upon whom certain rights and privileges of a Roman citizen
were conferred.
2. Roman type, letters, or print, collectively; -- in distinction from
Italics.
Ro*mance" (?), n. [OE. romance, romant, romaunt, OF. romanz, romans,
romant, roman, F. roman, romance, fr. LL. Romanice in the Roman
language, in the vulgar tongue, i. e., in the vulgar language which
sprang from Latin, the language of the Romans, and hence applied to
fictitious compositions written in this vulgar tongue; fr. L. Romanicus
Roman, fr. Romanus. See Roman, and cf. Romanic, Romaunt, Romansch,
Romanza.] 1. A species of fictitious writing, originally composed in
meter in the Romance dialects, and afterward in prose, such as the
tales of the court of Arthur, and of Amadis of Gaul; hence, any
fictitious and wonderful tale; a sort of novel, especially one which
treats of surprising adventures usually befalling a hero or a heroine;
a tale of extravagant adventures, of love, and the like. "Romances that
been royal." Chaucer.
Upon these three columns -- chivalry, gallantry, and religion --
repose the fictions of the Middle Ages, especially those known as
romances. These, such as we now know them, and such as display the
characteristics above mentioned, were originally metrical, and
chiefly written by nations of the north of France.
Hallam.
2. An adventure, or series of extraordinary events, resembling those
narrated in romances; as, his courtship, or his life, was a romance.
3. A dreamy, imaginative habit of mind; a disposition to ignore what is
real; as, a girl full of romance.
4. The languages, or rather the several dialects, which were originally
forms of popular or vulgar Latin, and have now developed into Italian.
Spanish, French, etc. (called the Romanic languages).
5. (Mus.) A short lyric tale set to music; a song or short instrumental
piece in ballad style; a romanza.
Syn. -- Fable; novel; fiction; tale.
Ro*mance", a. Of or pertaining to the language or dialects known as
Romance.
Ro*mance", v. i. [imp. & p. p. Romanced (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Romancing
(?).] To write or tell romances; to indulge in extravagant stories.
A very brave officer, but apt to romance.
Walpole.
Ro*man"cer (?), n. One who romances.