roll over
B2Neutral to informal; becomes formal in specific financial/technical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To turn one's body onto its back or side, often while lying down.
To defer something (like a financial payment or a decision) to a later date; to move to a new provider (e.g., a pension); in computing, to move data automatically to a new period.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Highly dependent on context. Literal meaning involves physical turning. Figurative meanings span finance (deferral), loyalty (changing providers), and computing (automatic progression). The phrasal verb can be separable (e.g., 'roll the payment over').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. 'Roll over' in finance is equally common. The literal action for pets is identical.
Connotations
Identical core connotations. Slight preference for 'rollover' as a solid noun (rollover) in US financial jargon.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + roll over[Subject] + roll over + [Object] (e.g., a loan)[Subject] + roll + [Object] + overVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “roll over and play dead (to submit without resistance)”
- “roll over in one's grave (to be appalled posthumously)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Deferring a financial obligation or moving a pension to a new fund.
Academic
Rare. Possibly in economics papers discussing debt restructuring.
Everyday
A pet or person turning in their sleep; agreeing too easily.
Technical
In computing, data (like minutes or data limits) moving to the next cycle.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- My dog will roll over for a biscuit.
- I decided to roll my ISA over to a new provider.
American English
- The baby can roll over by herself now.
- You can roll over your 401(k) when you change jobs.
adjective
British English
- The rollover date is the 5th of each month.
- He won a rollover jackpot.
American English
- Check your plan's rollover minutes.
- The lottery has a rollover prize.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The puppy learned to roll over.
- I roll over in my sleep.
- Can you roll over the payment to next month?
- She told the dog to roll over and it did.
- If you don't use your data, it may roll over to the next billing cycle.
- The company refused to simply roll over and accept the unfair terms.
- Investors chose to roll over their bonds into the new issue.
- The clause allows for the annual leave to be rolled over under exceptional circumstances.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a dog doing a trick for a treat: it ROLLs its body OVER. Now imagine your bank 'rolling' last month's unused data 'over' into this month.
Conceptual Metaphor
MOVEMENT/TRANSFER IS PHYSICAL ROLLING (e.g., rolling a debt forward in time).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as 'катиться сверху'. For finance, use 'продлить' or 'реинвестировать'. For the physical action, use 'перевернуться'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'roll over' for 'overthrow' (e.g., 'The government was rolled over' is incorrect). Confusing 'roll over' (phrasal verb) with the noun 'rollover' (one word).
Practice
Quiz
In a business context, what does it mean to 'roll over a contract'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can say 'roll over the loan' or 'roll the loan over'.
They are often synonyms in finance. 'Carry over' is more general (e.g., carry over a topic to the next meeting), while 'roll over' is specific to finance/debt/contracts.
Yes, figuratively. 'Roll over and accept defeat' implies giving up without a fight.
It's when something (like unused data, a counter, or a log file) automatically resets or continues into a new period.