Learn English – Rolled down/off/on

prepositions

I have such problem with prepositions when used together with a verb, they seem to have many differents ways to be used. Anyway, talking about the verb "roll", I have two examples and I'd be glad if any of you could help me out.

The rock rolled down the barrier.

The rock rolled the barrier down.

Can I place the preposition that way? If so, Which one sounds better and why?

In what cases is "rolled over" used? Could you give some examples using: rolleld over, rolled on, rolled up and rolled down? Thank you.

Best Answer

You may be talking about different idioms, "to roll down" and "to knock down". A rock can roll down a hill and then knock down a fence. Also it can roll over the fence, implying that it knocked down at least part of the fence. Or you can say the rock rolled down the hill and knocked over the fence. Or various other combinations.

Definitions from The Free dictionary:

To roll down: to move downward, rotating, as a wheel or a ball, or to move downward on wheels.

To roll over: [for something that rolls] to pass over something.

So a rock can roll down a hill, over a fence, and into my car.

Note also that you can roll [something] over (transitive verb), meaning to turn it over, or something can roll over (intransitive verb) meaning it turns in a rotational manner.

I rolled the rock over so I could look underneath it.

He rolled over in bed to look out the window.