roly-poly

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˌɹəʊlɪˈpəʊli/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɹoʊliˈpoʊli/

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Apparently from roll with -y, reduplicated with change of the initial consonant perhaps influenced by poll (“head, scalp”). Attested (sometimes spelled rowle-powle) since the seventeenth century. Compare rolly, which is attested since the nineteenth century.[1]

roly-poly (comparative more roly-poly, superlative most roly-poly)

1. (colloquial, often childish or humorous) Short and plump.
   • 1867, Grace Ramsay, A Woman’s Trials‎, page 157:

     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.

roly-poly

1. By rolling, so as to roll.
   • 1908, Beatrix Potter, The Roly-Poly Pudding‎:

     Tom Kitten bit and spat, and mewed and wriggled; and the rolling-pin went roly-poly, roly; roly, poly, roly.

2. (obsolete) Directly, without hesitating.

roly-poly (countable and uncountable, plural roly-polys or roly-polies)

1. (colloquial) A short, plump person.
   • 1893, “Jamaica Church Ladies’ Association in England”, in The Net‎, page 190:

     In a few weeks ‘our baby’ was a regular roly-poly, fat and frolicsome. Has she forgotten all the neglect? God grant it.

   • 1991 [1875], Amy Fay, Music-study in Germany‎, page 80:

     The German women are plump roly-polies, as a general rule, and it is probably in consequence of this continual “strengthening.”

2. (Britain) A steamed pudding made from suet pastry containing jam or fruit.
   • 1869, Emma Jane Worboise, The Fortunes of Cyril Denham‎, page 190:

     Dinner began and proceeded till the last piece of the roly-poly pudding was consumed, though not by Cyril

   • 1873, “Rose Anna: Regina”, in Judy, Or the London Serio-comic Journal‎, volume 12, page 233:

     This is, indeed, an awful meal […] and there is a detestable, indigestible, unswallowable jam roly-poly to follow.

3. (gymnastics) A forward roll or sideways roll.
   • 1994, Patty Claycomb, Bear Hugs for Circle Time, page 14:

     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.

   • 1997, Pauline Wetton, Physical Education in the Early Years‎, page 57:

     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.

4. A terrestrial crustacean of suborder Oniscidea; pill bug, potato bug or sowbug.
   • 1995, Henry Robison and Robert Allen, Only in Arkansas: A Study of the Endemic Plants and Animals of the State‎, page 45:

     Terrestrial isopods, commonly known as pill bugs, sow bugs, or roly-polys, are generally familiar to most of us.

   • 1997, Clark Williamson and Ronald Allen, Adventures of the Spirit‎, page 76:

     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).

5. A toy that rights itself when pushed over.
   • 1950 November 27, “American-Made Toys [advertisement]”, in Life‎, page 79:

     BOBO The Roly Poly Clown ¶ Punch him — beat him — tackle him — Bobo will bounce right back with a smile!

   • 1971, Arden J. Newsome, Crafts and Toys from around the World, page 67:

     Among the many adaptations of the Japanese tumbler toy are those known to American children as a roly-poly and a Kelly.

6. (uncountable) An old game in which balls are bowled into holes or thrown into hats placed on the ground.
   • 1890, John Champlin and Arthur Bostwick, The Young Folk’s Cyclopædia of Games and Sports:

     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.

   • 1930, Ellsworth Collings, Psychology for Teachers, page 185:

     “We’d have to play outdoors though,” continued Kenneth. “Don’t you see it’s raining.” ¶ “Gee, we can play Roly Poly,” argued John.

• (a short, plump person): See Thesaurus:fat person
• (a forward or sideways roll): forward roll, somersault
• (terrestrial crustacean of suborder Oniscidea): See Thesaurus:woodlouse

• rolly polly