roly-poly
Part of speech: noun
adj
adv
Morphological type: derivation
Topics: games
gaming
gymnastics
hobbies
lifestyle
sports
Etymology: The noun is apparently derived from roll (“to turn over and over”) + -y (suffix forming adjectives with the sense ‘having the quality of’), reduplicated with a change of the initial consonant. Compare rolly (“having the ability to roll, rolling”, adjective), which is attested since the 19th century.
Noun sense 1.7 (“mischievous or worthless person”) is possibly influenced by poll (“head; (archaic) scalp; (by extension) person”).
The adjective and adverb are attested later than the noun, and so are probably derived from it.
Base: roll
Affixes: -y
Inflected forms:
form: roly-polys
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: roly-polies
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: rolly polly
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: rolly-poly
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: rolly-pooly
pos: noun
tags: alternative
form: more roly-poly
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: most roly-poly
pos: adj
tags: superlative
Senses:
gloss: A toy that rights itself when pushed over.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: BOBO The Roly Poly Clown / Punch him—beat him—tackle him—Bobo will bounce right back with a smile!
Among the many adaptations of the Japanese tumbler toy are those known to American children as a roly-poly and a Kelly.
Though most often made of plastic, roly-poly tumble toys were commonly found in mid-century toy boxes.
gloss: A short, plump person (especially a child).
pos: noun
tags: countable
informal
uncountable
examples: The Germans have a great idea that you must "stärken (strengthen)" yourself. So they eat every few hours. […] The German women are plump roly-polies, as a general rule, and it is probably in consequence of this continual "strengthening."
In a few weeks 'our baby' was a regular roly-poly, fat and frolicsome. Has she forgotten all the neglect? God grant it.
gloss: A forward roll or sideways roll.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: When you are finished with circle time, dismiss your children by helping each one do a roly-poly roll (a somersault) and roll away to their next activity.
Children of this age can rarely complete a forward roll or somersault properly. […] A ‘roly poly’ roll or a tucked sideways roll will give the children just as much pleasure and also enough exercise and knowlege of turning and rolling at this stage of their development.
gloss: Synonym of tumbleweed (“any plant which habitually breaks away from its roots once dry, forming a light, rolling mass which is driven by the wind from place to place”); specifically, the prickly Russian thistle (Kali tragus or Salsola tragus).
pos: noun
tags: Australia
countable
uncountable
gloss: A baked or steamed pudding made from suet pastry which is spread with fruit or jam (or occasionally other fillings) and then rolled up.
pos: noun
tags: UK
also
attributive
countable
uncountable
examples: [page 135] "Fanny has made the roly-poly pudding," says he; "the chops are my part. Here's a fine one; try this, Goldmore." […] [page 137] The three mutton-chops consumed by him were best of the mutton kind; the potatoes were perfect of their order; as for the roly-poly, it was too good.
And he hates rabbit, and never touches roly-poly, and I must say the beef isn't over tender; […] Dinner began and proceeded till the last piece of the roly-poly pudding was consumed, though not by Cyril; […]
This is, indeed, an awful meal, and we have as yet only reached the joint, and there is a detestable, indigestible, unswallowable jam roly-poly to follow.
gloss: In full roly-poly bug: a small terrestrial invertebrate which tends to roll into a ball when disturbed, such as a woodlouse (suborder Oniscidea, especially a pill bug (family Armadillidiidae) or a sowbug (family Porcellionidae)) or a pill millipede (superorder Oniscomorpha).
pos: noun
tags: Canada
US
countable
uncountable
examples: A roly-poly had found his way inside the house; I reasoned that the tiny varmint had crawled up the steps. […] The creatures are no more than an inch long, and when you touch them they roll themselves into a tight gray ball.
Terrestrial isopods, commonly known as pill bugs, sow bugs, or roly-polys, are generally familiar to most of us.
From the window, she sees them discover a colony of roly-polies (tiny gray bugs that roll into miniature balls in the presence of danger). She delights in the wonder and fun of the children as they play gently with the tiny bugs.
[Romy Tinkle] What is that thing, Quincy?! / [Quincy Tinkle] Um … It's a giant Rolly Polly (Pill Bug). It's been living entirely on my body-building protein powder, apparently!!
gloss: A mischievous or worthless person; a scoundrel, a rascal.
pos: noun
tags: countable
obsolete
uncountable
examples: Ile haue thee in league vvith theſe tvvo rovvly povvlies: they ſhal be thy Damons and thou their Pithy-aſſe; […]
Hovv novv, good man ſlaue? vvhat, Rovvle Povvle? all riuals, Raſcal?
Go to: I vvill not bate him an ace on't. / VVhat? Rovvle-povvle? Maple-face? All Fellovvs?
gloss: An activity or game involving rolling.
pos: noun
tags: historical
uncountable
examples: If this be your Play (quoth John) that vve may not be like a Quaker's dumb Meeting, let us begin ſome Diverſion; vvhat d'ye think of Rouly-Pouly, or a Country-Dance?
gloss: An activity or game involving rolling.
pos: noun
tags: countable
historical
uncountable
examples: Often I did view the shade / Where once a nest my eyes did fill, / And often mark'd the place I play'd / At "roly poly" down the hill.
gloss: An activity or game involving rolling.
pos: noun
tags: countable
historical
uncountable
examples: This is one of the games prohibited by Edward IV.; and received its denomination from being played with one half of a sphere of wood. Half-bowl is practised to this day in Hertfordshire, where it is commonly called rolly-polly; and it is best performed upon the floor of a room, especially if it be smooth and level. There are fifteen small pins of a conical form required for this pastime; […] the bowl, when delivered, must pass above the pins, and round the end-pin, without the circle, before it beats any of them down; if not, the cast is forfeited: […]
ROLY-POLY, or NINE HOLES, a game of ball played by any number of persons, generally nine. […] The Roller tries to roll the ball into one of the holes. If he makes three consecutive misses, a pebble is placed in his hole. […] Roly Poly is a very old English game. It is sometimes played in England with hats instead of holes, and it is then often called Egg Hat. In this case the ball is pitched instead of rolled.
"Gee, we can play Roly Poly," argued John. "We can play right in this room." / "Sure," agreed Bobby. "All we'll have to do is to make our triangle and bowling lines."
gloss: An activity or game involving rolling.
pos: noun
tags: countable
historical
uncountable
examples: And be it further enacted by the Authority aforeſaid, That if any Perſon or Perſons whatſoever ſhall, after the ſaid Twenty fourth Day of June, One thouſand ſeven hundred and forty five, play at the ſaid Game of Roulet, otherwiſe Roly-poly, or at any Game of Chance with Cards or Dice, already prohibited by Law, every ſuch Perſon or Perſons ſo offending, ſhall alſo incur the Pains and Penalties, and be liable to ſuch Proſecution, as is directed in and by an Act made in the Twelfth Year of the Reign of His preſent Majeſty, intituled, An Act for the more effectual preventing exceſſive and deceitful Gaming.
gloss: Moving with a rolling and swaying motion.
pos: adj
examples: "Oh! Mother, Mother, there has been an old man rat in the dairy—a dreadful 'normous big rat, mother; and he's stolen a pat of butter and the rolling-pin." […] "A rolling-pin?" said Ribby. "Did we not hear a roly-poly noise in the attic when we were looking into that chest?" Ribby and Tabitha rushed upstairs again. Sure enough the roly-poly noise was still going on quite distinctly under the attic floor.
Seianus bowed, the awkward roly-poly jerk of the fat man.
gloss: Short and plump; squat.
pos: adj
tags: childish
humorous
informal
often
examples: She had been waiting for the little roly-poly man to tumble and roll along the deck, and had been mentally indulging her sense of humour on the scene.
He ducked back down the alley / With some roly-poly little bat-faced girl
gloss: By rolling, so as to roll.
pos: adv
examples: Tom Kitten bit and spat, and mewed and wriggled; and the rolling-pin went roly-poly, roly; roly, poly, roly.
gloss: Without hesitating; directly; hence, in a thoughtless manner; indiscriminately.
pos: adv
tags: obsolete
examples: At your pleaſure thats rare; then rovvlie, povvlie, our vviues ſhall lye at your commaund: […]
Translations:
lang: Finnish
word: kierimispeli
lang: Finnish
word: kierimisleikki