Learn English – Where does “Let’s roll!” come from

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Where does the idiom "Let's roll!" come from?

Best Answer

The phrase "Let's roll" has been in use as early as 1908, but achieved a special connotation on September 11th, 2001, as they were Todd Beamer's final words before rushing the cockpit on United Airlines Flight 93.

Wikipedia cites a possible origin of the word from 1908:

The phrase may have its origins as early as 1908 in the cadence song now called "The Army Goes Rolling Along", which likely extended into tank usage.

The same Wikipedia page also provides several other uses of the phrase in pop culture, including the 1950 Hemingway novel Across the River and into the Trees and its use in 50s and 60s police television shows such as Adam-12 and (the original) Dragnet.

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