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roll off

B1 neutral separable both
In simple words

To roll and fall or move off a surface, OR for words to come out of your mouth very easily.

Literal meaning: To roll and fall or move away from a surface — mostly transparent.

Meanings

1 A2 neutral

To fall or move off a surface by rolling.

"The apple rolled off the table and bounced across the kitchen floor."

2 B2 idiomatic neutral

(Of words, sounds, or language) to be produced easily, smoothly, and naturally.

"Her name was beautiful — it just rolled off the tongue."

3 B2 idiomatic neutral

(Of products) to come off an assembly or production line in a continuous flow.

"Thousands of new cars roll off the production line every day."

Usage notes

The 'roll off the tongue' expression is very common and means language that is easy and pleasant to say. Industrial use: products 'roll off the assembly line/production line' — very standard business/manufacturing language. Also used for water rolling off a waterproof surface.

Commonly used with

tongue assembly line production line table surface back water shelf

Forms

Base
roll off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
rolls off
he/she/it
Past simple
rolled off
yesterday
Past participle
rolled off
have + pp
-ing form
rolling off
continuous

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