roll on, v. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

roll on v.

1. used to introduce a variety of wishes, usu. referring to escaping the environment that one is in, e.g. roll on payday, roll on Friday etc.

1885		M. Davitt Leaves from Prison Diary I 150: ‘A burst in the City. Copped while boning the swag. 7 Stretch, 1869. Roll on 1876. Cheer up, pals.’ Another — ‘Hook, 7 ys. Roll on time.’.
1901		J. Caminada Twenty-Five Years of Detective Life II v: At the conclusion of the day’s proceedings, for a ride at Her Majesty’s expense to the City Gaol at Belle-Vue, much shouting took place [...] all ending with the words ‘Roll on.’.
1917		F.T. Nettleinghame Tommy’s Tunes 21: When this ruddy war is over, Oh! how happy we shall be! [...] Roll on, when we go on furlough; Roll on, when we go on leave [OED].
1928		C. McKay Home to Harlem 3: Roll on, Mister Ship.
1936		J. Curtis Gilt Kid 19: Saying to yourself, ‘Roll on Cocoa’.
1945		D. Bolster Roll On My Twelve 139: Roll on my Twelve [...] means ‘Hasten the day of my discharge’.
1958		(con. 1940s) B. Behan Borstal Boy 148: Roll on death.
1962		A. Wesker Chips with Everything I ii: Well, roll on Christmas, roll on I say.
1971		(con. WWII) B. Aldiss Soldier Erect 70: Roll on the boat that takes me home.
1983		S. Gee Never in My Lifetime in Best Radio Plays (1984) 83: Go on, go home, put your fancy gear on for tonight. Roll on nine o’clock, then, eh?

2. (US) in transitive uses, roll on someone.

(a) to address, to talk to.

2001

(con. 1975–6) E. Little Steel Toes 79: Fuckin’ Ben rolls on me after chow. Says he’s got to talk to me.

(b) to attack.

1989		N. George ‘Goin’ Off in Cali’ in Buppies, B-Boys, Baps and Bohos (1994) 90: The Crips flaunting their strength, cocksure that they could roll on the guards.
1991		B. McCarthy Vice Cop 38: He’d roll on anything [...] an old-time, smash-’em-in-the-head-and-lock-’em-up sergeant.
1997		E. Little Another Day in Paradise 254: I’m sitting on my bunk with my tray when three blacks roll on me.
2000		Z-Ro ‘3rd Coast’ 🎵 Roll on cowards and busters, peeping them soldiers and hustlers.
2013		T. Robinson Hard Bounce [ebook] ‘We roll on the fucker, and I unload into him’.
2018-20		T. Thorne (ed.) ‘Drill Slang Glossary’ at Forensic Linguistic Databank 🌐 Roll on - attack, take by surprise.

2003		Simon & Alvarez ‘Backwash’ Wire ser. 2 ep. 7 [TV script] The boy almost roll on you that one time.
2004		J. Ellroy ‘Jungletown Jihad’ in Destination: Morgue! (2004) 365: Donny DeFreeze. Roll on the motherfucker, before I get really mad.
2006		G. Pelecanos Night Gardener 323: Someone had rolled on Dink, so he took the full Federal jolt.
2010		(con. 1973) C. Stella Johnny Porno 244: Vento feeds us one or two delegates, they’ll roll on whoever they’re kicking back to.
2017		D. Winslow The Force [ebook] He could roll on prosecutors, judges—shit, he could serve the feds the mayor on the proverbial silver platter with [...] a couple of real estate billionaires as appetizers.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 154: Joe M. wants to squeeze her and get her to roll on them [i.e. Communist associates].