roller, rowler

[Eng. roll, v.; -er.] I. Ordinary Language: 1. One who or that which rolls; spec if., a cylindrical body turning on its axis, and used for various purposes, as for smoothing, crushing, leveling, spreading out, or the like. (1) A heavy cylindrical implement, of wood.stone, or (more frequently) of metal, set in a frame, and chin, bench; go, gem; thin, this; rolley used for crushing clods, compre ing and smoothing the surface of gra fields, or the like, leveling the surface of roads, paths, walks, . "A level lawn, shaven by the scythe, and leveled by the roller."-Johnson: Life of Pope. (2) A rolling-pin (q. v.). 2. That upon which something may be rolled up; as, the roller of a window-blind. 3. That in which anything may be rolled; a bandage; spec if., a long, broad bandage used in surgery. "Fasten not your roller by tying a knot, lest you hurt your patient." - Wiseman: Surgery. 4. That upon which anything is rolled, so as to diminish friction. (1) A round piece of wood, ., put under a heavy weight. [II. 4.] (2) The wheel of a roller-skate. (3) The wheel or castor of a table, chair, or the like. *(4) A go-cart. "He could run about without a rowler or leading strings." Smith: Lives of Highwaymen, ii. 50. 5. A long, heavy, swelling wave, such as is seen after the subsidence of a storm. II. Technically : 1. Metal - working : A circular object in a machine acting as a carrier, a cutter, a die, an impre ion cylinder, or a flattener. 2. Music : The studded barrel of the musical box or chime-ringing machine. 3. Naut.: A cylindrical anti-friction bar which revolves as a hawser or rope traverses against it, and thus saves the rope from wear. 4. Ordn .: A cylinder of wood, used as a winch in mounting and dismounting guns. 5. Ornith.: Any individual of the family Coraciade. Their popular name is derived from their habit of turning somersaults in the air like a Tumbler Pigeon. Called also Roller-bird. [CORACIAS.] "A most remarkable feature in the distribution of this family is the occurrence of a true roller ( Coracias tem minckii ) in the island of Celebes." - Wallace : Geograph. Distrib. Anim . , ii. 313. 6. Print .: [INKING-ROLLER.] 7. Saddlery : The broad, padded surcingle used as a girth to hold a heavy blanket in its proper position, generally made of twilled web with leather billets and chapes. 8. Zoology ( pl .): The family Tortricide (q.v.). Called also Short-tails and Short-tailed Burrowing Snakes. IMG:content-0712.png:[blocks in formation] are cast.