subs. phr. (old).—1. A country bumpkin.
1602. DEKKER, Satiromastix, iii. 116. These two ROLLY POLLIES.
2. (common).—A jam roll pudding; DOG-IN-A-BLANKET: also ROLL UP. As adj.—round and fat.
1841. THACKERAY, The Great Hoggarty Diamond, xii. You said I make the best ROLY-POLY puddings in the world. Ibid. (1848), The Book of Snobs, i. As for the ROLY-POLY, it was too good.
1851. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, I. 207. Sometimes made in the rounded form of the plum-pudding; but more frequently in the ROLY-POLY style.
1852. CRAIK, Agatha’s Husband, xii. Cottages, in the doors of which a few ROLY-POLY, open-eyed children stand.
1860. G. ELIOT, The Mill on the Floss, i. 6. I know what the pudden’s to be—apricot ROLL-UP—O my buttons!
1882. E. J. WORBOISE, Sissie, xix. Squashy ROLYPOLY pudding.
3. (common).—See quots.
1713. ARBUTHNOT, The History of John Bull. Let us begin some diversion; what d’ye think of ROULYPOULY or a country dance?
1851–61. H. MAYHEW, London Labour and the London Poor, III. 145. When I danced it was merely a comic dance—what we call a ROLEY-POLEY.
4. (venery).—The penis: see PRICK.
