roly-poly

views updated May 29 2018

ro·ly-po·ly / ˈrōlē ˈpōlē/ • adj. (of a person) having a round, plump appearance: a roly-poly young boy.• n. Brit. a sweet pastry dough covered with jam or fruit, formed into a roll, and boiled, steamed, or baked.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

roly-poly

views updated Jun 08 2018

roly-poly †worthless fellow XVII (rowle powle, rowly powly); name of various games involving the rolling of a ball XVIII; pudding in which a sheet of paste covered with jam, etc. is rolled on itself XIX. Fanciful formation on ROLL2; the second el. may contain POLL1 (head); the orig. of the first sense is obscure.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

roly-poly

views updated May 29 2018

roly‐poly Sweet suet pudding filled with jam.

A Dictionary of Food and Nutrition DAVID A. BENDER

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