italki - What is the meaning of "roll on lunch"? Dan But before we have lunch ourselves, let’s run over the v

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What is the meaning of "roll on lunch"? Dan But before we have lunch ourselves, let’s run over the vocab one more time. First up we had peckish. It means ‘hungry – just a little hungry’. I’m feeling rather peckish at the moment, you? Neil I think I’ve gone beyond peckish, Dan. Roll on lunch. Next? Dan We had makeshift – which describes a temporary or low quality solution... P.S.: The dictionary says that "roll on" is used to express the wish that an eagerly anticipated event or date will come quickly: roll on Saturday" What is the synonym of "roll on" in this meaning? And what is the equivalent in American English?

Mar 27, 2017 8:04 AM

Answers · 15

We say this when we are impatient for something, and can't wait. Time rolls on. Roll on home time.

March 27, 2017

A synonymous phrase would be "Bring on lunch!" (I think an American would use this phrase). The phrases "roll on <such-and-such>" and "bring on <such-and-such>" give an impression that you are ready for <such-and-such> to begin and you are maybe even impatient for it to start. I've never really thought about it but I guess "roll on..." and "bring on..." are like commands; it's as though you are ordering someone to bring the thing that you are waiting for along.

March 27, 2017

Edit: see June' much better answer :) I think what it means here is "Hurray, Lunch!" It's not an idiom I know, but it appears in a couple of songs - "Roll On, Columbia" celebrates the Columbia river and tells it to "roll (that is, "flow") on." "Roll On 18 Wheeler" celebrates an eighteen wheel truck/lorry. Why Neil used "roll on" about lunch, I don't know.

March 27, 2017