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rock and roll

noun

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\ ˌrä-kən-ˈrōl

variants: or rock 'n' roll

Definition of rock and roll

(Entry 1 of 2)

: popular music usually played on electronically amplified instruments and characterized by a persistent heavily accented beat, repetition of simple phrases, and often country, folk, and blues elements : rock entry 2 sense 2 If many older people had been suspicious of the jukebox in the early fifties, they were even more affronted by the success of rock and roll after 1954.— Dominic Sandbrook The industry has changed. Is it no longer sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll? — AP News —often used before another nounrock and roll legends/albums… Jack is in his corset, Jane is in her vest. And me, I'm in a rock 'n' roll band … — The Velvet Underground

rock and roll

verb

rocked and rolled; rocking and rolling; rock and rolls

Definition of rock and roll (Entry 2 of 2)

intransitive verb

1 : to perform or dance to rock and roll music Mark headed off to Liverpool over the weekend, where he did a little rocking and rolling.— Paula Zahn

2 informal : to start out or get going energetically He was wide awake and ready to rock and roll at 5:00 A.M.— Gideon Wulff … an overwhelming majority of the U.S. population has a primal desire to unfold a badass pair of shades, slide them onto their head… throw a jacket over their shoulder, and utter, "let's rock and roll." — The Onion

Examples of rock and roll in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The Sixties mark the decade when rock and roll fully took shape as an art form. — cleveland, "100 greatest songs of the 1960s by Rock and Roll Hall of Famers," 4 Mar. 2020 Today the world lost a true giant in the history of rock and roll. — Washington Post, "Neil Peart, drummer for influential rockers Rush, dead at 67," 11 Jan. 2020 Behind them, looks like Kevan Miller and his wife Haley seem to have gone as Gene and Ace from Kiss, tongues out and ready to rock and roll all night. — BostonGlobe.com, "Judging the best costumes at the Bruins’ Halloween party - The Boston Globe," 31 Oct. 2019 Priscilla Presley, the one-time wife of the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley, made quick work of selling a family home in Brentwood. — Neal J. Leitereg And Lauren Beale, latimes.com, "Hot Property Newsletter: Getting their acts together," 8 June 2019 As if to emphasize the potential hazards of rock and roll over-indulgence, a small plane circled the mighty crowd, towing a banner advertising intravenous rehydration for hangovers at somewhere called the Remedy Room. — Doug Maccash, NOLA.com, "Aerosmith sings for the years, laughter and tears at Jazz Fest 2018," 5 May 2018 The first stop on this amazing journey that will take us literally around the world will begin in a city full of art, culture, and rock and roll. — Abby Gardner, Glamour, "The Bachelor Contestants Had Hilarious Reactions to Their First Trip With Peter," 28 Jan. 2020 Experience the sensational musical about the bespectacled, 1950s rock and roll icon. — Rasputin Todd, Cincinnati.com, "Things to do this week in Cincinnati: Boat Show, CSO's 125th, Aretha, 'Lion King'," 13 Jan. 2020 Michael was a music lover, especially the 60's and 70's rock and roll era. — courant.com, "Michael Robert Michaud," 11 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rock and roll.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

16 Mar 2020

Cite this Entry

“Rock and roll.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rock%20and%20roll. Accessed 26 Apr. 2020.

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More Definitions for rock and roll

rock and roll

noun