roil Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb be agitated
    moil; churn; boil.
    • the sea was churning in the storm
  2. verb make turbid by stirring up the sediments of
    rile.

WordNet

Roil transitive verb
Etymology
Cf. OE. roilen to wander; possibly fr. OF. roeler to roll, equiv. to F. rouler. See Roll, v., and cf. Rile.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Roiled; present participle & verbal noun Roiling
Definitions
  1. To render turbid by stirring up the dregs or sediment of; as, to roil wine, cider, etc. , in casks or bottles; to roil a spring.
  2. To disturb, as the temper; to ruffle the temper of; to rouse the passion of resentment in; to perplex.
    That his friends should believe it, was what roiled him [Judge Jeffreys] exceedingly. R. North.
    ✍ Provincial in England and colloquial in the United States. A commoner, but less approved, form is rile.
Roil intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To wander; to roam. Obs.
  2. To romp. Prov.Eng. Halliwell.

Webster 1913