1 A2 neutral
To wrap or fold something into a cylindrical or coiled shape by rolling.
"She rolled up the yoga mat and put it in her bag."
separable
roll up
B1 neutral separable transitive/intransitive
To wrap or curl something into a cylindrical shape; to arrive somewhere (informally); or to gather at a place.
In plain English
To curl something into a tube shape, OR to arrive somewhere (often at an event).
What does "roll up" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 idiomatic informal
To arrive at a place, often used for people gathering or appearing at an event.
"Fans rolled up to the stadium hours before the match began."
“
Roll up, roll up, roll up — step right this way!
— Traditional British fairground/market barker call; also referenced in The Beatles' 'Magical Mystery Tour' (1967)
3 A2 neutral
To fold or push a sleeve, trouser leg, or similar upward.
"He rolled up his sleeves before starting to wash the dishes."
separable
4 A2 neutral
To close a car window by winding it upward.
"He quickly rolled up his window when it started to rain."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To roll something upward into a cylindrical or coiled shape — transparent for the physical sense.
Actually means
To curl something into a tube shape, OR to arrive somewhere (often at an event).
Usage tip
The physical sense (rolling up a poster, a carpet, or a cigarette) is very common and literal. 'Roll up, roll up!' is a traditional British fairground and street vendor's call to attract a crowd. 'Roll up' as a noun means a hand-rolled cigarette (British English). The arrival sense overlaps with 'rock up' and 'turn up'.
Words that pair with "roll up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
sleeves carpet poster cigarette map mat audience window
How to conjugate "roll up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
roll up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rolls up
he/she/it
Past simple
rolled up
yesterday
Past participle
rolled up
have + pp
-ing form
rolling up
continuous
Hear "roll up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "roll up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.